Cheltenham Synopsis, the brief is implied.

feckin Ace.

At half time, I was impressed by how organised we were as a unit. The defence, as always, were typically solid and Banton played with lots of energy and caused issues. We pressed them well, when off the ball, but it was a shame how sloppy we were on it. It was frustrating to see good tempo and build up be undone by cowardly avoiding the gamble to beat the man or try something a bit edgy, instead slowing down the play, turning around and passing it backwards. Even then, I can understand the value in keeping the ball, but it was all deemed pointless as it'd end up with Hartley who would aimlessly lump the ball forward or McHugh who in fairness can lump the ball with a bit of precision. Needless to say, despite flashes of what could be, this style of play wasn't working. However, Carl 'Pique' McHugh saw the opening through the middle of the park, made a run for it and slot Reid in who finished well. A sublime move.

The second half was absolutely fantastic from Argyle. We limit the hoof ball bullshit and perhaps more vitally got the wingbacks (more THD than O'Connor, understandably) further up the field and joining in in the attacks. Blizzard and Bobby Reid really made themselves known in the middle of the park, the former getting stuck into challenges and coming out on top and both doing well to intercept play and beat the opposition to each loose ball. The new kid, Ansah, he's very classy. He started off behind Reid and Lewi in the role that Banton had been playing, he soon got stuck in and looked very comfortable - you seriously wouldn't believe that he hadn't played professional football before. He finished well for his goal and could have even had a couple more in the short time he was on the pitch.

That was the response we needed. Absolutely delighted. KFC celebrations tonight fo sure.

Gotta say, the lack of match musings has surprised me

What's to say ?  I don't think many on here went to the game so talking about it would just be guesswork and speculation, we only deal in facts on ATD SWTT

I did read yor report though so thanks, chin up my dear fella.

Happenings on the pitch were over-whelmed by one off it. I honestly don't recall ever attending a football match feeling that emotional.

The first half an hour was very forgettable. Both teams played 3-5-2/5-3-2 and cancelled each other out. Lots of huff and puff but no quality at all.

It was against that backdrop that McHugh's burst through the middle more sort of exploded than emerged. It was in equal parts brilliant and unexpected. I've seen Nelson try it a few times but McHugh? Not that I can recall. Anyway he majestically strolled through the midfield from deep, skipping tackles as he went, in what can only be called a Beckenbaueresque fashion. After such good work often the final pass goes astray and it is all undone. Not this time. A simple little diagonal ball between 2 defenders set Reuben free. He couldn't, and didn't, miss.

Cheltenham only once threatened Luke's goal when their big centre forward broke the offside line but he fired wide and, that apart - despite definitely looking the part in terms of physique, he did nothing much at all.

That was about it for the 1st half except for Alessandra getting past his man and threatening to run in on goal unchallenged. A shirt tug, a lino's flag and a yellow card. Could easily have been red and from where I was sat it should have been.

The second half was altogether different. We got the ball down, passed to feet and it was quite literally all Argyle. Those who think we don't have good players are simply wrong: RReid, Alessandra, Blizzard, BReid, Banton, O' Connor, THD are all very comfortable on the ball. Each has limitations in terms of speed, vision, two-footedness and they aren't perfect but they can all play a bit make no mistake.

And play they did. Reuben's second came via a huge deflection but his first touch and confidence to take a second and third as he worked his opening were simply brilliant but the build-up play, with Alessandra and Bobby Reid prominent, deserved the goal. It was, as they say, "coming".

Cheltenham became more and ragged as the game progressed and their tackling showed it. There was one 2-footed off-the-ground job on Hartley (?) that rather surpisingly got yellow carded when it was as clear a red as you could wish for and another booking for a desperate hack on Alessandra as he turned his right back and broke free which resulted in a rather curious little fracas involving Banton who tangled immediately afterwards. Yellow was the right decision for that one but it could have red too - Alessandra got yellowed for getting up and giving his assailant a retaliatory shove.

Cheltenham then took off their LB, who along with their baldy defensive midfielder were the only two of theirs that impressed me at all, and more good work by Alessandra found O'Connor in the acres of space the LB no longer was defending and which he duly exploited to whip in a lovely, pacey cross that Ansah, impressive in all he did, read perfectly, got in front of his marker and glanced it in at the far post. 3-0 and their goalie hadn't had a sniff of any of them.

In the second half Cheltenham pumped lots of hopeful balls forward but only once did they look dangerous and McHugh's intervention forced Luke into making his only save of the game - and a good one it was too. Basically, apart form some not terribly impressive kicking - but the dodgy pitch coudn't have helped him, that was all Luke had to do all match.

Make no mistake about it: the opposition were poor and the pitch was awful with the referee, who took an instant dislike to Brunt and booked him for a handball/kicking-the-ball-away combo that was highly questionable, seemingly reluctant to issue anything other than a yellow card when he could easily have shown 3, and should have shown 2, reds but Argyle were very, very good.

Who played well? Everybody, pretty much. Alessandra was particularly lively and Reuben scored twice but for me McHugh's astonishing burst through the middle changed the game completely, on top of which he hardly put a foot wrong defensively, so he'd be my MotM.

A great match, cracking day out and wonderful result but all of it over-shadowed by the news that Tyhee Slim had passed.

It's only a game, after all. And never has it felt more like it.

Good report that.

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

Cheltenham became more and ragged as the game progressed and their tackling showed it. There was one 2-footed off-the-ground job on Hartley (?) that rather surpisingly got yellow carded when it was as clear a red as you could wish for and another booking for a desperate hack on Alessandra as he turned his right back and broke free which resulted in a rather curious little fracas involving Banton who tangled immediately afterwards. Yellow was the right decision for that one but it could have red too - Alessandra got yellowed for getting up and giving his assailant a retaliatory shove.

This part of the match was bizarre. Cheltenham just became disgustingly rough in what seemed a less than five minute spell. The first was a truly terrible challenge on Hartley and I'm unsure how the ref didn't send him off for it. The second on Lewi resulted in two spats. Lewi has laid the ball off to THD before the player went in on him very, very late. While Lewi and others were having a bit of justifiable handbags with the Cheltenham offenders, THD seemed to pick up his marker in a rugby-like-tackle and charge about 10 yards before the two were eventually separated.

Cheltenham were clearly a frustrated team. They came out with plenty of effort in the first half, but the quality was lacking. They were rocked after we came out so strong in the second half and their nervousness soon turned to anger before eventually calming down to consolidation to defeat. I can't see them surviving the drop.

I think you are right: it was THD not Banton. During that incident there was soooo much going on it was impossible to know where to look.

I think the gist of it was we totally dismantled and out-classed them and, given the enormity of what is at stake for them, they collectively lost it for a bit.

I hope they can get their act together and stay up but I'll be surprised if they do and we may not ever see them in the League again - and, to be fair, given who and what they are they have had a very good run to last this long.

Appointed Gary Johnson as manager till the end of the season.

Not that its worth it mind with so few games.

Good win and convincing but with our inconsistency I'm still not sure we'll make the play offs, and even if we do I don't trust us to be consistent in them! Then again if we do make them and we are on top form I reckon we can beat anybody.

COYG

We are consistent, at losing vital games, like Bury and Newport.

True but if we set up more positive against Newport in both games I think they were there for the taking, they looked very ordinary in both games. Bury on the other hand look a step above us

Your last sentence devonportlad, right there....saddens me to my very core. So true...