Title triumph a brilliant achievement, says Duff
CHELTENHAM HARROGATE 4 1
MICHAEL Duff hailed the “incredible achievement” of his Cheltenham Town squad after they wrapped up the Sky Bet League Two title with a convincing home success over Harrogate on the final day of the season.
Liam Sercombe, Sam Smith, Alfie May and Callum Wright struck for the Robins after Jack Muldoon’s shock opener for the Yorkshiremen.
After lifting the championship trophy, Duff said: “Brilliant. I said it last week in terms of realising what they’ve achieved, and I think it’s starting to sink in now, what they’ve actually done.
“People might try to do it down this year, but it’s been a two-year promotion, the budget, we’ve not talked about the budget, but it has to be made aware of it.
“Having to integrate players and you can’t do a pre-season in terms of taking them away, team bonding days. That was a difficult task in itself. People like Sercs (Liam Sercombe), Willo (Andy Williams), Blairy (Matty Blair), they’ve come in and at the start of the season they have to walk about in their kit, not allowed to socialise. So that’s been difficult, people won’t understand.
“Pitches have been poor, it’s been a condensed season, no crowds, so it’s an unbelievable achievement.
“Rounding it off the way we did, we could have scored seven or eight. We did every part of the game, first ten minutes aside.
“Brilliant achievement, really proud. The lads have made history. We’ve talked about it for six weeks – there are lots of pictures of me and Russ (Milton, assistant manager) around the ground when we had blacker hair and were a lot slimmer. Get them down, put pictures of these lads up instead. It’s an incredible achievement.
“The only tinge of disappointment is the supporters not being here. What they’ve done this year, they’ve broken the points record, champions and have probably had the biggest game in the club’s history with Man City, and gave an unbelievable account of themselves as well. They deserve every bit of credit they get.”
The early Harrogate goal from Muldoon after just seven minutes spurred Cheltenham into a dazzling spell, starting with Liam Sercombe’s equaliser only four minutes of going behind.
Sam Smith’s volley into the roof of the net edged Cheltenham into a 22nd-minute lead before Alfie May netted from close range after 34 minutes.
The visitors finished the half strongly, though, with Brendan Kiernan rattling the crossbar and Robins goalkeeper Josh Griffiths doing well to keep out a wayward header from teammate Matty Blair that was heading for the corner.
The second half failed to match the pace and excitement of the first, particularly after Callum Wright’s first-time strike after 56 minutes effectively sealed the win.
Cheltenham, however, had earned their cruise to the finish.
Cheltenham: Griffiths, Raglan, Tozer, Long, Blair, Wright (Azaz 83), Thomas, Sercombe, Hussey, Smith (Williams 77), May (Lloyd 77). Not Used: Flinders, Freestone, Chapman, Vassilev.
Goals: Sercombe 11, Smith 22, May 34, Wright 56. Harrogate: Cracknell, Fallowfield, Smith, Lokko (Hall 60), Roberts (Burrell 60), Thomson, Hondermarck (Kerry 60), Francis (Falkingham 60), Muldoon, Kiernan, Stead (Andrews 82). Not Used: Belshaw.
Goals: Muldoon 7.
Referee: Ben Speedie (Liverpool).