Aerial bombardment is too much for Tranmere

CHELTENHAM cruised to an emphatic home victory over promotion rivals Tranmere to further strengthen their Sky Bet League Two title hopes.

Michael Duff’s side were three-up at half-time, with Conor Thomas and Will Boyle both converting from close range after long throws from Ben Tozer had caused havoc in the Rovers box.

Thomas followed up after Sam Smith’s shot was saved in the fourth minute, but the midfielder was forced off in the 26th minute after suffering what looked like a broken nose following an accidental clash with Kaiyne Woolery.

By that time, Boyle had marked his return from a ten-match injury absence with the second, diverting Callum Wright’s shot into the net with his thigh in the 14th minute after another missile from Tozer.

Alfie May was denied by veteran stopper Joe Murphy after racing through in the 20th minute, but the front man made no mistake when Liam Sercombe played him in three minutes before the break, finishing calmly across the goalkeeper for his 12th goal of the campaign in all competitions.

Woolery had the ball in the net for Tranmere in the 31st minute, but he handled when controlling it and the strike was disallowed, but the away side offered very little throughout.

Wright, who was on the books of Tranmere between the ages of eight and ten, scored the goal of the game for Cheltenham in the 57th minute, volleying into the top left corner from 22 yards to complete the rout.

The Robins remain two points behind leaders Cambridge, but now have a five-point cushion over fourth-placed Tranmere.

Cheltenham: Griffiths, Long, Tozer, Boyle, Blair (Raglan 83), Wright (Azaz 82), Thomas (Chapman 26), Sercombe, Hussey, Smith (Williams 76), May (Vassilev 76). Not Used: Flinders, Lloyd.

Booked: Sercombe, Smith.

Goals: Thomas 4, Boyle 14, May 42, Wright 57. Tranmere: Murphy, Khan, Clarke, Ray (Ridehalgh

68), MacDonald, O’Connor (Lloyd 46), Spearing, Morris (Nugent 46), Feeney (Crawford 79), Lewis, Woolery. Not Used: Nelson, Jones, Kirby.

Booked: O’Connor.

Referee: John Busby (Oxfordshire).

David Davies/PA > Tranmere goalkeeper Joe Murphy, far right, can only clutch at thin air as Callum Wright’s terrific volley flies into the net to make it 4-0