“There are players in that team that started tonight which were nowhere near good enough” Stevens said.
The Robins fell to another defeat, this time in the EFL Trophy against League two opposition Newport County who sit 19th in League two. It took Cheltenham 1031 minutes to score their first goal in league one this season on Saturday, thanks to a Rob Street finish against Derby County. Cheltenham have suffered in front of goal this season massively after losing their top scorer Alfie May in the Summer to another League One outfit, Charlton Athletic.
May’s first two seasons with Cheltenham Town were very impressive, he scored 23 goals in 46 games in the 21/22 season and then in 22/23 season he scored 20 goals in 39 games.
Cheltenham Town sit rock-bottom of the EFL trophy group, losing to Bristol Rovers previously in the first game 4-1 Cheltenham’s goal being an OWN goal.
Pre-Match Stevens said:
“I view the Papa Johns Trophy as IMPORTANT especially due to our start of the season we’ve had, confidence wise it’s huge and also £10,000 per win is huge for a club like Cheltenham and it’s budget, if we can get a couple of wins in this trophy it would be great, just try and increase that budget for Darrell Clarke so that he can strengthen this squad and give us the best chance of survival”.
Post mach Stevens said:
“We were shocking, there are players in that team that started tonight which were nowhere near good enough, I thought Newport were good with several good players, we made it far too easy. Our players aren’t up to the levels needed.
We had a good goal which was ruled off for offside, that’s the only positive I have to say on tonight’s performance”.
“Our start to the season has been abysmal, however a fantastic result at the weekend against Derby County, a big point against a very good side and of course our first goal of the season” Stevens said.
“Do i think we can stay up? NO. But i do think that we have good management in Darrell Clarke and if there’s going to be anyone to keep us up, it would be him.
I don’t feel as though the team is good enough across the board, but I do think we do have some fantastic players in Will Ferry, Luke Southwood, but I don’t think we are consistently strong”.
Cheltenham Town sit 24th in League One with two points from a possible 36, and are 10 points away from safety, Darrell Clarke has a massive challenge on his hands, can he keep Cheltenham Town in League one?
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