Darrell Clarke delighted as Cheltenham clinch much-needed comeback win at Burton

By Sports Desk April 16, 2024

Darrell Clarke was delighted to see his out-of-form Cheltenham side come from behind to take a 2-1 League One win from relegation rivals Burton.

“It’s a good comeback win,” Clarke said. “It’s a must comeback win in a real pressure game where I thought we had to win it and we’ve done that.”

Albion had edged ahead in a poor first half when substitute Steve Seddon fired home after a long throw into the Cheltenham box in first half added time.

But the visitors hit back after half-time through the experience of striker Matty Taylor, with the equaliser and a first goal for the club for 39-year-old Curtis Davies to seal the win with a header from Will Ferry’s corner.

“The response in the second half was very good,” Clarke added. “Matty Taylor does what he does with a great finish and it was about time Curtis got a goal. He is a proper guy and I have got a lot of time for him.

“He has really stood up and been counted over a consistent period this season and I am delighted for him to get the winner.”

Cheltenham now have their fate in their own hands and Clarke issued a “call to arms” to fans to get behind the side with two home games to come.

“Now we take it to the final week of the season in our own hands, so this is a call to arms,” he said.

“We are depleted with a lot of players out and I just want the fans to turn up in their numbers on Saturday and Tuesday and really get behind the boys because I think they deserve it.

“We need to turn the next two games into a fortress and see if we can get over the line.”

Burton boss Martin Paterson was left facing up to an eighth home loss in a row which keeps the Brewers firmly in the relegation dogfight and frustrated at how his side failed to build on a first-half lead.

“We didn’t come out for the second half,” he said. “I thought they started the game brighter than us then after 20 minutes, we started stepping towards the ball and looking dangerous and we got a goal to go in at half-time with everything in our own hands.

“Two set plays and goals in the second half and people not doing their jobs. Simple as that.”

Albion have one last chance on home soil against Reading on Saturday to grab a much-needed home win and the magnitude of the game was not lost on Paterson.

He added: “This was a huge game and Saturday is a huge game. We have just come off the back of a good performance at Stevenage so if the drop off can go one way, I am pretty sure it can go the other way as well.”

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