Southern League Premier Division - 11/3/95 - Whaddon Road
A decade ago, the Robins were battling to win promotion to the Conference from the Southern League Premier Division and they met their main title rivals in a crunch clash at a very wet Whaddon Road.
Hednesford were enjoying an impressive campaign and had already beaten Cheltenham 3-1 at their Cross Keys ground earlier in the season. They included in their line-up imposing central defender Mark Freeman, who
was later to become a Cheltenham legend and Joey O'Connor, the hottest striking property outside of the Conference.
A bumper crowd of over 2,000 assembled and Cheltenham needed a win to put pressure on their opponents, who were threatening to run away with the Championship and had been brushing aside teams with ease.
Lindsay Parson had fired up his side and Cheltenham came out with all guns blazing. After a series of early attacks, the Robins were rewarded with a sixth minute breakthrough. The ball fell to Martin Boyle in the penalty area and after seeing his initial effort blocked by a defender, the forward calmly placed the ball into the bottom corner to give Cheltenham the early initiative.
With so much at stake, both sides were fully committed in every tackle and some over exuberant challenges resulted in four bookings inside the first 15 minutes. The game boiled over after 28 minutes when Hednesford full-back Kevin Collins was dismissed after an altercation with Simon Cooper.
Cheltenham produced some grand, flowing football despite the muddy conditions and the defence, marshalled by man-of-the-match Chris Banks kept dangerman O'Connor unusually quiet. The Pitmen did show glimpses of their quality, but never really threatened Martin Thomas' goal and Neil Smith and Cooper came close to extending Cheltenham's lead before the break.
Robins skipper Neil Smith sustained a cut to his face in the opening minutes of the second half and the midfielder typified Cheltenham's spirit when he had to be virtually dragged off the pitch such was his desire to continue in the engine room.
He was replaced by Jimmy Wring as Cheltenham started the second period strongly and doubled their lead after 52 minutes. Banks picked up the ball on the edge of his own area and set off on a mazy run that took him all the way to the edge of the opposition area, where he was tripped. Lee Howells touched the free-kick to Jimmy Smith, who curled a delightful shot into the top corner to raise the Whaddon Road roof. Cheltenham were then content to sit back and soak up some pressure from the visitors and hit them on the break using the pace of Christer Warren. Banks made a superb challenge on Brendan Hackett as the striker shaped to shoot for goal, while at the other end Cooper and Wring were denied by Pitmen 'keeper Paul Hayward.
No more goals followed and the memorable win meant that the title was in Cheltenham's own hands with 14 games remaining.
Cheltenham Town (2) 2 (Boyle 6, Smith 52)
Hednesford Town (0) 0
Cheltenham: Thomas, Benton (Eaton 79), Howell, Banks, Jones, N.Smith (Wring 48), Howells, Cooper, J.Smith, Boyle, Warren.
Hednesford: Hayward, Yates, Collins, Freeman (Street 60), Essex, Carty, Fitzpatrick, Devine, Hackett (Simpson 69), Burr, O'Connor.
Attendance: 2,031