Lions next Trip to Millwall reward for fine victory at Peterborough
gloslivesport@reachplc.com
CHELTENHAM Town will play Milwall away in the second round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday (6pm kick-off).
The Lions are managed by Gary Rowett and they finished eighth in the Championship last season.
If they win at the New Den, they will be at home to Michael Duff’s former club Burnley or Sheffield United.
Cheltenham are in round two after Saturday’s 1-0 victory at League One Peterborough United, when Liam Sercombe netted the only goal on his Robins debut.
Sercombe was the best player on the pitch for much of the 90 minutes.
The former Bristol Rovers midfielder lived up to his reputation as a player who belongs in League One, capping a commanding start to life in a Robins shirt with the only goal of the game in the 59th minute.
His performance was described by Michael Duff as “Rolls Royce like”, but it was perhaps the contributions of two of the manager’s younger debutants that will have given him the most satisfaction at the Weston Homes Stadium.
Goalkeeper Josh Griffiths, who was celebrating his 19th birthday, made one unforced error in the early stages, scuffing a clearance to Ryan Broom.
Broom looked set to cap his first appearance for Peterborough with a goal against the club he has just left, but Griffiths made an outstanding block to atone for his mistake immediately.
From then on the West Bromwich Albion loanee looked confident and composed, pulling off a string of fine saves in the second half.
Equally as impressive was the first appearance of young left-sided defender Lewis Freestone, playing against his first professional club.
Given the nod on the left of the back three, with Will Boyle fit enough for a place on the bench, Freestone delivered the sort of a performance that suggests he can make a serious challenge to Boyle for a regular place.
Comfortable on the ball and strong in the tackle, Freestone was excellent for 67 minutes before being replaced to give Boyle some minutes as he regains full fitness after a knee injury.
The other two new signings to start, Andy Williams and Finn Azaz, also made positive impacts.
Williams was picked ahead of exposh loanee Reuben Reid up front and he linked well with Alfie May, also forcing one smart save from Christy Pym, leading to the corner from which the only goal came .
He is a hard-working all-rounder of a front man and his senior debut for Cheltenham came nearly two decades after he was released by the club as a youngster.
Cheltenham’s second West Brom prospect Azaz played with youthful exuberance and is not afraid to try flicks and tricks to unlock defences in the number 10 role.
There were times when Duff would have liked him to keep things simpler, but it is clear he has bags of ability.
Well-built and standing 6ft 2in, Azaz also appears fully capable of handling the physical challenge of League Two. He turned 20 on Monday.
Cheltenham put in an accomplished all-round display to knock out higher level opposition in the League Cup for the fifth time in their history after previous upsets against Norwich, Brentford, Charlton and Oxford.
They are yet to reach the third round of the competition.
Broom was well dealt with and the closest Mo Eisa was to a goal against the club that launched his professional career was a shot that grazed the bar in the 61st minute after a pass from the dangerous Siriki Dembele.