DUFF SEES ‘SHOOTS’ IN DERBY STALEMATE
MICHAEL Duff saw “shoots of recovery” as his Cheltenham side left Forest Green with a point in the Gloucestershire derby.
Tyrone Barnett put the Robins in front with his first goal of the season midway through the first half, but Joseph Mills secured a point for Rovers with a header 15 minutes from the end.
Duff is still waiting for his first win as manager after three draws and three defeats, but he saw plenty of positives at the New Lawn.
“I was pleased with the organisation, structure and bit of quality as well,” Duff said.
“You won’t get it to click straight away and it’s going to take time, but it was shoots of recovery.
“They know what to expect from me and I know what to expect from them. It’s now up to a collective of me, staff and them to pull together with a few more performances like that and hopefully supporters will buy into it.”
Forest Green boss Mark Cooper was disappointed to see his side “waste” the first half against their county rivals before showing a major improvement after the break.
“We tried to pick a team full of energy with three sharp forwards and three lads in midfield who can run,” Cooper said. “But we got sucked into a trap of getting the ball forward too quickly and not recognising where the space was, which was in behind them.
“We gave a horrendous goal away, which gave Cheltenham something to hang on to.” Of the penalty Cooper said: “It was a really poor situation to give it away and poor defending once he saved it. It was then an uphill battle and Cheltenham had all the energy sitting behind the ball”
Rovers trailed at the break after goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was caught in possession by Barnett and the Brighton loan prospect brought down the striker in the box.
Luke Varney’s penalty was brilliantly saved by Sanchez diving to his right, but Barnett, on loan from Port Vale, followed up to open the scoring in the 26th minute.
Sanchez had already made one diving save to keep out an effort from Chelsea youngster Jacob Maddox and the home side failed to test visiting goalkeeper Scott Flinders before the break.
Cooper made a double change at the break, sending on Gavin Gunning and Tahvon Campbell in place of Nathan McGinley and George Williams.
Sanchez had to make one superb reaction save to deny substitute Liam McAlinden, but Forest Green had most of the ball after the break.
The leveller came in the 75th minute when Theo Archibald’s corner was nodded in by Mills at the near post as Rovers registered their ninth draw in 14 games this term.
FOREST GREEN ROVERS: Sanchez 6, Shephard 6, Rawson 6, McGinley 6 (Gunning 45, 7), Mills 7, Winchester 6, Digby 6, Worthington 6 (Brown 56, 6), Archibald 6, Grubb 7, Williams 6 (Campbell 45, 7). Subs not used: James, Collins, Montgomery, Pearce.
CHELTENHAM TOWN: Flinders 6, Alcock 7, Mullins 6, Boyle 6, Hussey 6, Dawson 6 (McAlinden 21, 6), Broom 6, Atangana 8, Maddox 6 (Tozer 82, 6), Varney 7, Barnett 6 (Mooney 55, 6). Subs not used: Addai, Lovett, Forster, Jones.