Beazer Homes Premier Division - 27/8/94 - Whaddon Road
Cheltenham amassed a club record 86 points during the 1994/95 campaign and Lindsay Parsons' men scored 18 goals in their first five games to set an early pace at the top of the table.
Eight of those goals came in a demolition of Corby, who had problems on and off the field, but Cheltenham were in fine form and produced some of the most attractive football seen at Whaddon Road in years.
The Robins raced into a four goal lead in the first half with goals from Lee Howells, Martin Boyle and a brace from Jimmy Smith.
Howells opened the scoring with a thumping shot from the edge of the box in the 12th minute. Boyle, who had been recently recruited from Bath City for £6,000 made it two after a neat one-two with Smith, beating the keeper with a low shot.
Smith then scored two identical goals in the 23rd and 40th minute, both involved latching on to a through ball and rounding the keeper to expose a static Corby defence.
Boyle completed his hat-trick soon after the break with two quick goals in the 51st and 54th minute after more good work from Smith. Boyle and Smith formed an immediate understanding in attack at a time when Jason Eaton struggled to find a place in the starting line-up.
Eaton entered the action in the 61st minute and it didn't take him long to find the net. Boyle turned provider beating the full-back and crossing for the arriving Eaton to shoot home from 10 yards.
All that remained was for Smith to complete his hat-trick in the 78th minutes, finishing clinically after a strong run from Howells.
To their credit, Corby refused to give up and Martin Thomas in the Cheltenham goal was called upon to make some good saves late on.
The win was Cheltenham's biggest victory since 1976 and Parsons' men followed it up with a 4-2 win at Atherstone and a 3-0 triumph at Sittingbourne. Jimmy Smith scored two in both matches to make it seven in three games for the diminutive Scot.
They then beat a much fancied Leek Town side 1-0 before meeting their match at Hednesford, losing 3-1. Hednesford, who included Mark 'Boka' Freeman went on to take the title after a wonderful season which was too good even for Cheltenham's record breaking squad.
Cheltenham (4) 8 (Howells 12, Boyle 18, 51, 54, Smith 23, 40, 78, Eaton, 72)
Corby Town (0) 0
Cheltenham: Thomas, Tucker, Wring (Lovell 75), Banks, Jones, N.Smith, Howells, Cooper, J.Smith, Boyle, Mortimore (Eaton 61).
Corby: Beresford, Gould, Collins, Rayment, McElhinney (Barnett 17), Gunn, Ashdijan, Carter, Harrison, Oliver, Magrove (McLeod).
Referee: D.K. Curtis (Wotton-Under-Edge)
Attendance: 754