Coca Cola League 2

JIM Gannon’s first game as caretaker boss of his beloved County so nearly ended with a dramatic and much-needed late victory.

A fairy-tale 75th minute debut goal for Liam Dickinson looked as though it might well have secured the Hatters the three points, but high-flying Cheltenham struck back a minute from time when skipper John Finnigan fired home from the edge of the box.

However, Gannon knew his players had turned in a gutsy performance which went a long way towards banishing the bitter memory of the calamitous Boxing Day defeat at Macclesfield.

He said after the game: "I was looking for a performance and I definitely got one today.

"The players gave everything, they bounced back so well and showed plenty of mental strength and resilience.

"It’s stopped the rot in terms of our run of defeats, it’s given us a platform going into the FA Cup game against Brentford this weekend. All the lads were heroes today.

"I couldn’t have asked for any more. I told them that they needed to respond like pro’s and they responded for me today."

County legend Gannon made a couple of team changes with Ashley Williams and Damien Allen returning, and front-man Dean Crowe making his first Hatters start in a new look 4-2-3-1 formation.

And the home side created the first opening on seven minutes when Allen crossed for Rob Clare who headed narrowly wide.

At the other end JJ Melligan carved open the Stockport defence, but Steve Guinan’s thumping low shot was superbly saved one-handed by James Spencer.

The Hatters were making a bright start under their new boss, but on 25 minutes Melligan found space in the home box again only to see his header loop over the bar.

Seconds later Damian Spencer glanced a header just past County’s far post.

As the opening half wore on the in-form visitors steadily increased the tempo, so it was against the run of play when County opened the scoring on 35 minutes.

Harpal Singh floated in a trademark cross from the left, Cheltenham defender Michael Townsend failed to clear, and there was Matthew Hamshaw who swept home the loose ball from all of eight yards.

Cheltenham should have levelled on the stroke of half-time but Spencer was denied by a smart goal-line clearance from Williams, while at the other end Hamshaw fluffed a great chance to make it two when he rashly scooped a shot over from 12 yards.

Stockport had a let-off 10 minutes after the break when Jamie Victory disappointingly planted a free header over the crossbar, then goalkeeper Spencer was at his very best in racing out to thwart livewire Cheltenham sub Kayode Odejayi.

However, the visitors did get their leveller on 67 minutes when Odejayi spun and crossed for the onrushing Brian Wilson who fired home from close range before clattering into the post.

Amazingly Wilson fired a shot against the same post minutes later, but Dickinson’s dream debut goal - a thumping header from a Hamshaw cross - did look as though it was going to be enough until Finnigan pounced with a superb low drive into the corner.

COUNTY: Spencer, Clare, Robinson, Allen, Raynes, Williams, Hamshaw (Crowther, 88), Briggs, Easter, Singh, Crowe (Dickinson, 69). Subs not used: Ikeme, Dje, Tunnicliffe. Booked: Robinson. Star man: James Spencer.

CHELTENHAM TOWN: Higgs, Gill, Victory, Caines, Wilson, Finnigan, Guinan (Vincent, 77), Spencer, Bird, Townsend, Melligan (Odejayi, 53). Subs not used: Taylor, Brown, Armstrong. Booked: Odejayi, Gill.

Att: 3, 777.

Ref: Andre Marriner (Birmingham).

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