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Match Preview – Cheltenham Town (A, FA Cup)

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This afternoon sees us travel to Whaddon Road, home of Cheltenham Town (who sit in 2nd place in League 2), for the 2nd Round of the FA Cup in a game that is available to watch via the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website. The two sides have only met twice in the FA Cup previously, both in the 2016/17 season, with the game at Whaddon Road finishing 1-1 before Cheltenham won the replay 4-1 at the Alexandra Stadium.

This Season:

The league season started off with a home defeat against Morecambe before 3 straight wins against Tranmere Rovers, Leyton Orient and Crawley Town. Another home defeat against Grimsby Town was followed by another 3 game unbeaten run (7 points taken from games against Southend United, Scunthorpe United and Mansfield Town). In the last 6 games, they have wins against Forest Green Rovers, Carlisle United and Walsall, a draw with Cambridge United on Tuesday night as well as defeats against Port Vale and Oldham Athletic.

They lost 3-1 in the 2nd Round of the Carabao Cup against Millwall after defeating Peterborough United and they knocked out South Shields in the 1st Round of this competition. In the EFL Trophy, they finished top of their group that also contained Newport County, Plymouth Argyle and Norwich City’s Under-21s and will play Portsmouth in Round 2.

Transfers:

Cheltenham have made 10 signings this summer, 6 permanent ones, one loan until January and 3 season-long loans. Goalkeepers Max Harris and Joshua Griffiths (EOS loan) are joined by full-back Lewis Freestone, midfielders Liam Sercombe, Matty Blair, Ellis Chapman as well as loanees Finn Azaz, Elliott Bonds and Tom Sang (Jan loan) while forward Andy Williams joined from Northampton Town.

They have let 8 players go permanently, including former Alex forward Luke Varney, while 4 players have joined non-league sides on loan.

Head-to-Head:

Alex Wins: 11
Robins Wins: 8 (1 in FA Cup)
Draws: 6 (1 in FA Cup)

Biggest Alex Win: 8-1 at the Alexandra Stadium in April 2011
Biggest Robins Win: 4-1 at the Alexandra in November 2016 (FA Cup)

Last Meeting

Crewe Alexandra 1-0 Cheltenham Town, 18th January 2020

A Perry Ng goal 21 minutes from time was enough to separate the two teams with both teams looking to get promotion out of League 2.

Alex: Jaaskelainen; Ng, Nottingham, Hunt, Pickering; Lowery, Wintle, Green; Powell, Anene, Kirk (Dale 80)

Robins: Evans; Raglan, Tozer, Greaves; Long, Sheaf (Campbell 70), Clements, Thomas, Hussey; May, Addai (Lloyd 60)

Played for Both:

The following players have been contracted to both teams:

Goalkeepers: Neil Cutler, Mark Gayle

Defenders: Billy Jones

Midfielders: Chris Clements, Ben Marshall, Kevin Stewart, Billy Waters

Forwards: Billy Dale, Steve Guinan, Danny Haynes, Amari Morgan-Smith, Tony Naylor, Luke Varney

Officials:

The officials for this game have been announced here with James Adcock the referee, Andrew Laver & Samuel Ogles are his assistants with Adam Crysell the fourth official. The following Crewe games have been refereed by Adcock in the previous 5 years:

  • Fleetwood Town 2-0 Crewe Alexandra (8th May 2016)
  • Sheffield United 1-2 Crewe Alexandra AET (9th August 2016, EFL Cup) – Lowe (2)

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