Reilly enjoying chance to shine with the Robins

Cheltenham Town’s loan striker from Bristol Rovers Gavin Reilly scored his third goal of the season in the 3-2 home win over Bradford City. Despite being right-footed, one has been a header and the other two have been with his left foot. Here the 26-year-old former Hearts man discusses life with the Robins with Jon Palmer

Three goals in nine league starts, how pleased are you with that start to loan life at Cheltenham Town?

If you have offered me that when I first signed I’d have grabbed it, so I am very happy with that. It’s nine starts, but 10 appearances. The first one wasn’t a good one, with us down to nine men at Orient, but I am delighted with the start and more importantly the results, up to third in the table and it’s credit to all the boys here.

Since Leyton Orient away you’ve been in the starting team for every league game, which shows you are doing something right because there are a lot of good forwards at the club now, waiting for their chance

There is yes and we still have guys out injured. Reuben (Reid) is still to come back in and we have guys on the bench champing at the bit. It’s down to me to do well when I am on the pitch, either scoring goals or if not, doing my general best to put in performances for the team. I feel I’ve done that for the team since I came in, so hopefully I can keep it going.

All three of your goals have come at the same end of the home ground, you obviously like scoring there

I actually thought that on Tuesday night. At the start of the game, they changed it around so we were shooting at the home end in the first half. I thought I might get a chance to score down that end, but I don’t care how they come, as long as I am scoring goals I am happy with that.

The goal against Bradford: Ryan Broom did well, but you still had a lot of work to do

He did well to feed the ball into my path and I didn’t see anyone behind me so I took the touch and saw the two centrehalves sliding that way, so I decided to go towards the near post and I have not really aimed, I just hit it. If you don’t overthink them, just take a touch and hit them, they are the ones that end up going on. I am delighted it ended up going in.

You scored a header against Carlisle and two now with your left foot, against Stevenage and Bradford, but you are right-footed...

I am right-footed, but I am starting to think I am becoming left-footed! My top three goals, and the one against Stevenage would be in that category, have all been left footed. You have to concentrate more when it’s on your weaker side. I scored four last season for Rovers, two with my head and two with my left. Now it’s two with the left and one header...i haven’t scored with my right for a couple of seasons! No, I don’t care how they go in, even if they are off my backside, as long as they go into the back of the net.

Overall thoughts on joining Cheltenham Town on loan, are you confident it’s been the right move for you?

Definitely. I have come here and made nine starts in a row now and one from the bench. The most starts I made last season was four. I am getting that game time and the more it goes on, the fitter and the better I am going to get. It’s been a good start, but you can’t be happy with that, always trying to achieve more, be better and score more goals and doing what I can for the team.

Have you got in the back of your mind, impress Rovers and go back in January or try and earn an extended stay at Cheltenham?

Obviously I want to play at the highest level possible, but at the same time I need to concentrate on myself and see what’s best for me and my family. I will figure that out come January, but at the moment I am just enjoying being here and long may it continue.

How have you found the commuting from Bristol?

It’s about 45 minutes and Ryan Broom and Reuben travel in from that area too, so I am not travelling in myself and that breaks up the journey. I have a young family down in Bristol who’ve moved down and I had a big upheaval moving to Rovers last season and I didn’t want to do that again. Cheltenham was ideal for me, both for not having to move, but also the playing side, so it’s working out well.

Sometimes it’s difficult to get loan players to buy in, but the four of you here are all playing and have all made an impact. You are older than the other three, middle aged as a footballer...

For once, I am actually one of the oldest boys in the team. That’s kind of hard to take because you always still think you are young, but I do think especially in Scotland, I’ve played a lot of games and I made 35 appearances last season. To be put in that senior category is a chance for me, but I will do what I can to help the younger guys as well. It’s mixed age in this time and the loan guys have been doing well, so long may it continue.

What’s it like playing up front with Luke Varney?

He’s been great. He’s had a great career and he’s always talking to me during the game and the likes of the Stevenage game, he’s not over 6ft, but he leaps as if he is. He flicked that one on for me and I finished it, so he’s great to have up there. Although he didn’t score against Bradford and Salford he’s been doing well so I think we are creating a good partnership. Hopefully it can continue.