Joseph at the double as Cheltenham win again

A QUICK second-half brace from Swansea loanee Kyle Joseph secured a 3-1 home victory for Cheltenham over Morecambe on Tuesday.

It was the first ever League One meeting between the newly-promoted clubs and the hosts opened the scoring in the 26th minute through Liam Sercombe. The fit-again midfielder finished into the bottom-left corner for his first of the season after Mattie Pollock nodded the ball down for him from Sean Long’s throw-in.

The Shrimps levelled seven minutes before half-time from an indirect free-kick after Scott Flinders handled a back-pass from Chris Hussey. Adam Phillips slammed into the bottom corner after Greg Leigh touched the set-piece to himl.

Leigh headed against the left post just before the break and Cheltenham were close to regaining the lead when Kyle Vassell’s header was parried by Jokull Andresson. But Joseph struck in the 65th minute, firing in Matty Blair’s cross from the right. And less than three minutes later the 20-year-old forward netted his second, curling one in off the inside of the left post to put the game beyond Morecambe and make it two home wins in four days for the Robins.

Cheltenham boss Michael Duff told the club website: “We’ve deserved the two wins, but we can’t think we’ve arrived because look at the teams we are coming up against.”

Meanwhile, Town midfielder Elliot Bonds has joined Kidderminster Harriers on loan until December 4.

Harriers, managed by ex-Robins favourite Russ Penn, play in National League North. Bonds, 21, joined Cheltenham from Hull City on a twoyear deal in the summer. He has battled back from a knee injury suffered last term. The Guyana international has so far appeared twice in the Papa John’s Trophy this season along with one appearance from the bench in the Carabao Cup.

Cheltenham, who have climbed to 12th in the table, play Doncaster Rovers away in League One on Saturday (3pm).