CITY 4 CHELTENHAM 0
Cheltenham didn't take long to show a 19 000 crowd at the Walkers why they are adrift at the foot of the League One table. They tried to play a fairly open game – ludicrously adventurous compared with Stockport in midweek – but lacked the quality to match their ambition.
The back four were the worst seen here this season and the right back particularly had a nightmare game. Indeed on one occasion Gradel sold him a totally outrageous dummy which caused him to head for the corner flag whilst the winger breezed into the penalty area.
Having established that Cheltenham, including City old boys Hammond and Low, were poor you can only play what's in front of you and City were not complaining. Four successive home draws had not gone down well with the Walkers faithful and they needed to be placated with a generous serving of goals so 4-0 was just about par for the course.
The opening minutes were totally devoid of quality from either side with City struggling to get 3 passes together until Gradel, who had a decent game, got away down the left and crossed low into the box causing immediate panic before the ball was eventually scrambled away. That stirred Cheltenham to their one moment of hope in the first half when Spencer hit a half chance into the side netting.
However the one-way pattern of the game became set shortly afterwards and in the 14th minute Gilbert cleverly made space for……Cleverley to put over a lovely cross to the far post where Howard nodded home unchallenged (I told you they were poor)…..
Within 10 minutes City were away and clear when a ball forward was flicked on by Howard into space on the right side of the area. Fryatt was on it in a flash and hit a beautiful first-time shot across the keeper into the bottom of the net. A quality goal from a player who can be a quality striker given room.
We could all have gone home there and then as far as the destination of the points was concerned but City were keen to add to their tally. King came nearest when his low shot from the edge of the box after being set up brilliantly by Oakley was well saved by Brown in the Red's goal.
Oakley was my Man of the Match in spite of my major misgivings relating to this player. He cannot tackle and has no turn of speed and is too similar to King to be a suitable midfield partner for him. However he does find space, passes well especially over distance and above all has creative vision. He knows where he wants to put the ball before he receives it unlike the vast majority who regard seeing where their team-mates are as something you do when you have control of the ball.
The second half began with Cheltenham's only decent spell of the game. A header glanced against the bar from a very long throw-in which caught City unawares and almost immediately afterwards a low cross from the left needed only a touch to make a game of it, but eluded everybody.
City plugged away without looking too threatening until a Cheltenham defender prodded the ball into his own net. The linesman (I cannot be doing with the mealy-mouthed title of Assistant Referee) flagged a City player offside which enraged the crowd as this same official had already made several total howlers. The 'goal' was disallowed and the official derided. Minutes later he made another strange decision which prompted abuse as derision had obviously failed to bring the required improvement. This worked by the way and the next decision he gave was in favour of City and brought the biggest cheer of the afternoon. And they want to outlaw abuse!
A further breach in the dam was inevitable given that the match was now being played in one half and so it proved. Cleverley had already had one mazy dribble cutting in from wide right and getting into the centre of the goal before slicing wide left. The crowd cheered anyway recognising a skilful job done 90% well. They – and Cleverley were rewarded for their faith when an action replay of his earlier dribble this time ended in his prodding the ball into the goal. Cue Mexican waves!
The goals were all decent but the last was even more decent than the others. The move started deep in City's half down the left side and a series of passes brought the ball to the edge of their box where Oakley and Cleverley exchanged gorgeous one-twos, slicing through what passed for Cheltenham's defence, leaving Oakley to thump the ball past Brown. A Brazilian goal!
City withdrew their front-line troops at this point and coasted to the finish. Time only for Cheltenham defender, Gallinagh, to join Cleverley in the ref's book (Cleverley's moronic bookable challenge would qualify him to play for England – at Twickenham!) and then the crowd happily saluted the victors with shouts of 'Easy, Easy!' It certainly was!
Sterner test lie ahead at Tranmere and Millwall but we will surely be champions-elect if the 23 -match unbeaten run survives these two fixtures. Perhaps the confidence of a big win will stand us in good stead
City: Stockdale, Gilbert, Morrison, Hobbs, Mattock (Powell 81), Cleverley, Oakley (Berner 72), King, Gradel, Howard (Hayles 72), Fryatt
Cheltenham: Brown, Bird, Duff, Gallinagh, Ridley, Watkins (Connor 46), Finnigan (Townsend 40), Westlake, Low (Durrant 72), Hammond Spencer
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation