Dr Marten's Premier Division - 8/4/96 - The City Stadium, Meadow Park
A fine performance from Chris Robinson's new look Cheltenham side earned a fourth consecutive win at Gloucester's Meadow Park. The Robins followed up 5-1, 3-1 and 2-1 wins with a comfortable 3-0 victory against their yellow and black rivals.
Rushden & Diamonds and Halesowen had already pulled away at the top of the table, but third place was still up for grabs and there was plenty of local pride to be played for.
Jason Eaton, who made the move up the A40 to Cheltenham in 1992, had scored at least one goal on every return visit to his former club and he kept up his remarkable record with a brace of second half goals.
The first half was fairly even but Cheltenham dominated the second period and only some fine goalkeeping from City keeper David Coles kept the
score down.
Eaton opened the scoring ten minutes after half-time, after good work from Jimmy Smith on the right wing. Smith bamboozled Tigers' left back David Johnson and crossed for his partner in crime to finish from close
range.
Two goals in as many minutes followed, the first a well struck volley from David Elsey after a half clearance had fallen to him. Eaton then delicately
beat Coles again to make it three after some more fine wing play from Smith, who proved that he could provide as well as score goals himself.
Cheltenham keeper Kevin Maloy made two important saves as Gloucester attempted to salvage some pride. Chris Banks went close for Cheltenham and Eaton was denied a hat- trick by Coles' agility.
Elsey was shown a red card after two cautions but that could not dampen the Cheltenham spirits as once again they showed their superiority over their big spending neighbours.
Robinson's side went on to finish third and although the Robins boss was sacked the following season, some of the foundations for the future years of glory had already been laid. Mark Freeman and Chris Banks were together at the back and with Bob Bloomer in the engine room and Eaton and Smith up front, Cheltenham were looking like a side ready to take on the non-league elite in the Conference. They just needed the right man at the helm and that man was to arrive the following winter in the shape of Steve Cotterill.
Gloucester City (0) 0
Cheltenham Town (0) 3 (Eaton (2) 56, 74, Elsey 73)
Gloucester: Coles, Holloway (Howell 20), Johnson, Thorne, Kemp, Rouse (Vernon 61), Webb, Adebowale, Cooper (Milsom 64), Black, Mardenborough.
Cheltenham: Maloy, Wotton, Benton (Campbell 87), Banks, Freeman, Elsey, Bloomer, Wring, Eaton, Smith, Chenoweth (Wright 74).
Referee: I. C. Mills (Kidlington).
Attendance: 1,523