Gloucestershire has not rushed to the Football League party. Cheltenham Town did not get there until 1999, more than a century after it began, and then only after Forest Green Rovers had joined them in the Conference the previous year. It takes two to derby, though, and on Saturday the clubs finally tangled in the county’s historic first League meeting after Rovers, at the third successive time of play-off asking in May, joined their neighbours in League Two. They called it “El Glosico” but it was no classic, ending 1-1 with limited honours even.
Both sides remain in the lower half of the table after ropy starts but both have enjoyed decent runs since, Cheltenham first, each amounting to 13 points from five matches. Indeed Rovers were the division’s form team a week ago and took an early lead through Christian Doidge’s seventh League goal in six games, pouncing on an error by Jamie Grimes, once on loan at Rovers.
Forest Green are green indeed, riding the wave of financial support from Dale Vince, their owner and founder of Ecotricity. The club is vegan, its mower solar-powered. The north stand bears the mantra: “Sustainability in sport. Changing the rules of the game”. The New Lawn wears its health on its turf and offered glorious skies as the sun dipped below the hills before half-time. Unfortunately the home team’s power dipped with it.
Town’s Harry Pell scooped over from Mohamed Eisa’s feed. Danny Wright, another former Rover, hurried a shot wide. And before half-time Eisa, finding space on one flank then the other, ghosted in from the left to equalise from a narrow angle. He almost repeated the act just after the interval but this time Bradley Collins, enough in fluorescent pink to put even a ghost off, stuck out a left arm to tip the ball away.
A game of declining creativity took another turn for the worse when Eisa, a 22-year-old from Sudan who came here aged six, was forced off. Kyle Storer, who replaced him, was booked for a foul inside a minute. In the frantic final minutes Collins was named man of the match for his reflex save, whereupon he twice punched crosses into his own defenders. Added time produced a flurry of wild tackles, yellow cards, Rovers’ Jack Fitzwater being carried off with suspected concussion and both sides harassing the excellent referee, Scott Oldham in the manner increasingly seen on TV.
Before the managers restored respect and perspective the thought occurred that perhaps the county should stick to rugby and cricket. Gilbert Jessop played a bit for Cheltenham but struck the ball better with bat than boot. Their manager, Gary Johnson, warned beforehand: “You’ve got to be careful you don’t get too excited and your game goes away.” Rovers’ Mark Cooper said: “It’s a game. It’s three points. We’re not playing everything else around it.”
Afterwards he said: “I’m pleased with a point. After the start we got caught up with the occasion and didn’t perform as we can.” His captain, Lee Collins, added: “We needed someone to calm the game.” Johnson was pleased “we stayed in it. There’s a good history between the clubs and it was a credit to both.” Thankfully statements of intent beforehand became statements of content afterwards. That was before fans, 985 away, 2,656 home, skirmished in the innocent streets of Nailsworth.
By way of a Gloucestershire footnote Chipping Sodbury Town, founded in 1885, were one of 21 FA Cup newcomers in the extra preliminary qualifying round on 5 August, beating Brackley Town Saints, also newcomers, 3-1. Football tells the story of our times: Sods beat Saints. Can the new county reverse it?
Talking points
• It may be every youngster’s dream to play with his professional heroes but on Saturday a Norwich fan answered the call at Carrow Road for a fourth official, which may be slightly less glamorous. A linesman had become indisposed in the closing minutes and the appointed fourth official was called on to run the line. David Thornhill is a qualified referee but was in no position to alter the 1-1 scoreline, though he did have to hold up the board for a Preston substitution as well as for added time, which was a minimum of 10 minutes. This was not a home fan’s exaggeration. Most of them were due to his changing into the official black top. Afterwards, by happy chance, he was able to renew acquaintance with Alex Neil, formerly of Norwich, now Preston’s manager.
• Invincibility was never for ever. Shrewsbury went unbeaten for 15 League One games from the start of the season before they lost 1-0 at Peterborough. Now they have lost the last two of the following three, first at Bury, who were bottom of the table, then at home to Bradford, both by a single goal and on Saturday an own-goal that allowed Wigan to go top of the table. Vincibility is for now and Paul Hurst, the manager, calm about the future.
• Cardiff City’s 2-0 win at the City Ground in Sunday’s Championship match maintained not only their chase of Wolves at the top but also Nottingham Forest’s record of not having drawn any of their 19 league games. Forest, lying ninth, have lost 10, more than all but three of the 15 clubs beneath them – a reminder that it is better to lose one and win one than draw two. Bristol Rovers, also without a draw in League One, show the same thing. They have lost 12, more than anyone, yet lie 18th.
• There is something ludicrous in the surprise at once-mighty Sunderland winning 2-0 at Burton Albion, of the Conference nine seasons ago. It may just mean Ellis Short, Sunderland’s owner, has made a bright choice in Chris Coleman, his seventh managerial appointment since March 2013. But he could certainly learn something from Burton’s chairman, Ben Robinson.
