Taylor eyes swift return to action – Baraclough

CHELTENHAM Town striker Matty Taylor hopes to be fit to return to action in two or three weeks, according to Robins assistant boss Ian Baraclough.

The former Bristol City and Bristol Rovers front man hobbled off the pitch in his side’s 3-1 loss to Charlton earlier this month to dampen the club’s survival hopes.

Taylor has scored four goals since he arrived at the club on deadline day from county rivals Forest Green, including on his debut against Wycombe, in a move that reunited him with manager Darrell Clarke after they spent time together on the blue side of Bristol.

“He’s disappointed,” Baraclough admitted. “He’s down because he’d like to play a big part. He’s come in, he’s scored some goals for us, some big goals – that’s what he does.

“He’s a frustrated footballer who wants to be on the pitch, and when he’s not, he still wants to give in other areas. He was at the game at Oxford on Saturday, so he’s rooting behind the boys, and that’s the type of spirit that’s in the camp.”

A key player in Cheltenham’s survival quest, and someone who was reportedly Clarke’s top target in his first transfer window with the Robins, Taylor is keen to get back to action as soon as possible.

“He’s hopeful that he could be back in a couple or three weeks but that’s just him, and you’ve got to be very careful with hamstring injuries,” continued Baraclough. “He had one before, so he knows his own body, but he’ll be desperate to get out there for the final push.”

At 33, Taylor, who won one cap for England C during his first spell at Forest Green, is one of the more senior players within the Town squad. His absence provides an opportunity for the Robins other forwards to try to make the central striking position their own, with George Lloyd and Aidan Keena needing to step up.

Lloyd has two goals so far this season, but both came in the same game, against Shrewsbury Town on Boxing Day, whereas Keena is yet to find the net this campaign.

“Matty’s still good to have about,” Keena revealed. “He’s not just injured and not being a part of it anymore. He’s still part of the squad and he’s still a big player there and he’s got a lot of experience that we can all tap into.”

Cheltenham face high-flyers Barnsley, who sit fifth in League One, this afternoon.

Meanwhile, in League Two, Forest Green Rovers escaped the relegation zone in midweek and will hope to consolidate that move when bottom side Sutton visit the New Lawn today.

After scoring both goals in the 2-0 win at Bradford on Tuesday, front man Christian Doidge said: “The manager (Steve Cotterill) has come in and he’s put a lot of belief in a lot of lads. I feel like you see a team that goes out there and works really hard for each other, and that’s first and foremost wheat we want to do when we go over the white line.”

Elsewhere in the fourth tier, Swindon have sunk to 18th in the table and they could drop even further if they are beaten by visiting Doncaster this afternoon.

Swindon are winless in three, and have lost the last two.