Cheltenham Town 3-1 Morecambe
Sky Bet League One
Jonny-Rocks Stadium
Tuesday 19 October 2021
Kick-Off: 7:45pm
Attendance: 2,909 (105 Shrimps)
Two second half goals from Kyle Joseph hand the Robins three points in Sky Bet League One.
Captain Liam Sercombe opened the scoring for the hosts as his volley rippled the back of the net after 26 minutes.
An in-direct free-kick from Adam Phillips saw Stephen Robinson’s side hit back before the break, but two goals in three minutes from Joseph took hold of the game in Gloucester.
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors as a whipped cross from Greg Leigh was inches away from being touched home by the advancing Jonah Ayunga at the back post.
That early chance for the away side sprung the Robins into life and on the sixth minute they came close to adding their first goal of the game.
A flick on from Mattie Pollock found Kyle Vassell in the box and the former Blackpool man got his shot off, but only to be denied by Ryan Delaney on the line, who did superbly well to get back.
Minutes later, the home side were in again.
A lovely through ball from Dan Crowley found striker Kyle Joseph on the run, with the on-loan Swansea man through on goal it would take a big save from Jokull Andresson to deny him on this wet and windy night in Gloucestershire.
On the 26th minute, the home side took the lead.
A long throw into the box was flicked on by Pollock which found captain Sercombe, who lashed his effort past Andresson in the Shrimps goal.
Six minutes before the break, the Shrimps hit back.
After referee Benjamin Speedie punished goalkeeper Finders who had picked up an intentional back-pass, the visitors were handed a free-kick in the penalty area.
Greg Leigh in-turn rolled the ball to Phillips who delicately whipped his effort into the bottom-left corner of Finders’ goal.
Robinson’s side had one more chance before the half-time whistle when a ball from Shane McLoughlin from the right was headed onto a post by the advancing Leigh.
Half-time: Cheltenham Town 1-1 Morecambe
Four minutes after the break, Robinson’s side did have the ball in the back of the net again, but Stockton’s 13th goal of the season was chalked off due to striker being in an offside position.
On the 65th minute, the home side retook the lead though Joseph.
A drilled ball into the box by Matty Blair was inch-perfect for the sticker who took his chance first-time giving Andresson absolutely no chance in the Shrimps goal.
Three minutes late, the Robins strengthen their grip on the game as Joseph chipped in with his second in the game.
A stunning effort from the former Wigan man saw his effort cannon off a post before ending up in the back of the Morecambe goal.
With five minutes of the game remaining, Andresson made a fantastic save to keep this game at 3-1.
Sercombe who was looking for his second of the game whipped a terrific effort, which looked destined for the top-right corner of the Iceland U21s goal, but out came his left hand to make a vital save.
Full-time: Cheltenham Town 3-1 Morecambe
Cheltenham: Flinders, Long, Pollock, Blair, Hussey, Thomas, Chapman, Sercombe (C), Crowley (Barkers 79’), Vassell (Horton 83’), Joseph (May 90’).
Subs not used: Evans, Freestone, Williams, Norton.
Goals: Sercombe 26’, Joseph 65’, 68’
Bookings: None.
Red cards: None.
Morecambe: Andresson, Gibson (Cooney 64’), O’Connor (C), Delaney, Diagouraga (Gnahoua 70’), Stockton, Phillips, Leigh, Ayunga, Wootton (McDonald 70’), McLoughlin.
Subs not used: Letheren, Jones, Mensah, McLaughlin.
Goals: Phillips 39’
Bookings: O’Connor 52’, Gnahoua 74’
Red cards: None.