CHELTENHAM TOWN 1

FOREST GREEN 1

TITLE protagonists Cheltenham Town and Forest Green shared the ‘El Glosico’ spoils for the second time this season.

A full-blooded derby saw Gary Johnson’s National League leaders remain a point clear of their Gloucestershire rivals.

Impressive Harry Pell struck his trademark ‘Roberto Carlos’ free-kick to hand the Robins a second half lead, but former Cheltenham Town midfielder Darren Carter drew parity with his fourth goal of the season, which more than made up for Jon Parkin’s earlier penalty miss.

Rovers started on the front foot with Rob Sinclair pulling the midfield strings.

Earlier, Rovers named an unchanged team from the side that finished the 3-1 win over Dover Athletic.

Charlie Clough retained his place after coming on for Darren Jones (hamstring). Marcus Kelly was recalled to the squad and took his place on the bench.

Cheltenham named an unchanged team from the side who thumped Southport 4-0.

Despite enjoying the majority of the ball, it took Rovers 15 minutes to muster their first shot in anger - Carter arrowing wide from a Kurtis Guthrie header.

Cheltenham looked to have nullified Rovers’ early gusto and responded with Pell nodding over.

The diminutive Cheltenham striker Billy Waters was a thorn in Rovers' side, and he stood up a great cross for Danny Wright, but the former Forest Green striker headed wide.

However, chances were scant. Carter tried his luck with an overhead kick, which Dillion Phillips comfortably landed on and then Waters sliced over from a Wright assist.

The game was somewhat tepid, but the on-pitch temperature was raised with James Jennings going in the book for a touchline lunge on Jack Barthram.

Seconds later Barthram fizzed over as Cheltenham started to turn the screw.

The pink-booted Waters should have done better for the Robins when the ball dropped to him in the box, but his gentle strike was comfortably handled by Steve Arnold.

At the other end, Clough got a vital block on a Waters’ strike as the Robins prospered in the final minutes.

The yellow card count was evened up - Kyle Storer booked for a challenge on Dale Bennett.

In the dying embers of the half, Aarran Racine stooped to head wide from an Elliott Frear free-kick after Pell had upended the marauding Bennett.

Cheltenham opened the second half in positive fashion and grabbed the opener on 52 minutes.

Pell’s skidding free-kick parted the Rovers’ wall and beat the unsighted Arnold.

The Robins were rocking. Storer struck over from a Pell pass as Johnson’s team looked for a killer second.

However, Rovers spurned a lifeline from the penalty spot. Dickie brought Guthrie to a heap in the box, but Parkin fired woefully over on 61 minutes.

Frustration was growing. Sam Wedgbury thumped the turf in disgust as he saw yellow for a tackle on Pell.

Rovers got back into the match with 20 minutes to go.

Pennock was ready to make a sub as Bennett set off on a jet-heeled run, his arrowed in cross saw Parkin fail to get a clean connection, but the ball dropped kindly to Carter, who made no mistake inside the box to grab vital parity.

The tempo was rising – Pell smacked the underside of Arnold’s bar from 25 yards.

Frear had strong claims for a late penalty when he skipped past Dickie, but the referee waived play on with Frear on the ground and being accused of a dive by the incensed Pell.

It was getting tense. A lengthy hold up for a head injury to Danny Parslow saw five minutes added to the game.

At the death,  Guthrie was greeted with howls of ‘cheat’ from the home fans after he was booked for touching the ball in with his hand from a Frear cross.

STAT ATTACK

Cheltenham Town: D Phillips; R Dickie, A Downes, D Parslow (L Vaughan, 90), G McLennan; J Barthram (R Jennings, 68), H Pell, K Storer, J Munns; B Waters, D Wright.

Subs not used: C Kitscha, A Hall, J Rowe.

Forest Green Rovers: S Arnold; D Bennett, C Clough, A Racine, J Jennings; S Wedgbury, R Sinclair; K Guthrie, D Carter, E Frear; J Parkin (A O'Connor 83).

Subs not used: J Maxted, K Marsh-Brown, M Kelly, D Pipe.

Attendace: 5,449 (804 away)

Forest Green Star Man: Darren Carter: Becoming a vital cog at the tip of Forest Green's midfield. He was a constant thorn in Cheltenham's side.

Cheltenham Star Man: Billy Waters: Small in stature but big in heart and caused Rovers trouble throughout the game.