Blair scores a poignant goal to grab a draw
CHELTENHAM TOWN .... 2 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2
EMOTIONAL Alfie May revealed his immense pride in Cheltenham teammate Matty Blair after a poignant afternoon at the JonnyRocks Stadium, writes Jon Palmer.
Blair netted a 91st-minute equaliser from May’s corner to earn the Robins a 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday, just eight minutes after scoring an own goal to make it 2-1 to the visitors.
Blair’s father Andy spent two years playing for the Owls in the 1980s and he was watching proudly from the stands.
Matty’s older brother Ross, who died at the age of 32 in 2017 after a brave battle with brain cancer, was a fanatical fan of Wednesday, having been born in Sheffield.
Front man May was with Blair at Doncaster Rovers when Ross passed away and joined him in a tearful celebration after his goal.
“It’s an emotional day for Matty,” May said. “I was there with him at Doncaster and I know this meant so much.
“It was massive for him and his family and when I celebrated with him, he was in tears,
“It’s a good day for him scoring and he can be proud. His brother is looking down on him smiling.”
Chey Dunkley looked set to be the second-half hero for the Owls as they came from behind to lead 2-1 in the first competitive meeting between the clubs.
Cheltenham had taken the lead in the 14th minute through Kyle Vassell, who finished well after Ellis Chapman’s effort was deflected into his path after a long throw-in from Sean Long on the left-hand side.
Wednesday threatened early on, with Lee Gregory denied by a block from Mattie Pollock in the third minute, but Wednesday’s Bailey Peacock-Farrell had to save well from the Robins’ Long in the 12th minute.
The visitors started the second half strongly, but Cheltenham nearly hit them on the break in the 61st minute, with Vassell and Dan Crowley combining to set up Kyle Joseph, but his attempted chip was easy for Peacock-Farrell.
Dunkley leapt highest to meet Barry Bannan’s corner in the 65th minute to make it 1-1.
And Bannan was the provider again with a free-kick met by Dunkley and deflected past Scott Flinders by Blair in the 83rd minute. But Blair made amends by forcing Alfie May’s corner over the line to earn his side a point. Cheltenham: Flinders, Blair, Pollock, Long, Hussey, Thomas, Sercombe, Chapman, Crowley (May 72), Vassell, Joseph (Norton 83). Not Used: Evans, Freestone, Williams, Horton, Barkers.
Booked: Vassell, May.
Goals: Vassell 14, Blair 90.
Wednesday: Peacock-Farrell, Dunkley, Hunt (Kamberi 46), Palmer, Shodipo (Corbeanu 56), Adeniran, Dele-Bashiru (Berahino 66), Johnson, Bannan, Gregory, Paterson. Not Used: Brown, Wing, Wildsmith, Sow.
Booked: Bannan, Johnson.
Goals: Dunkley 65, Blair 82 og.
Attendance: 5,582.
Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey).