Matchday Memories: On This Day 2018 – See Sky Blues Score Six At Cheltenham!

Sky Blue gaffer Mark Robins

On this day five season’s ago on (28th April) in 2018 the Sky Blues under Mark Robins were on their way up out of League Two (via the playoffs). They were making a late run to get into the top six and, after a shocker of a 4-2 home defeat to Lincoln City, travelled to Cheltenham Town in the penultimate ‘normal’ game of the season hoping to restore momentum.

This is what they achieved emphatically at their west country hosts by hitting them for six. The 1,541 members of the Sky Blue Army who made up almost a third of the 5,027 crowd were ecstatic at the 6-1 away win!

The Sky Blues were four goals to the good by half-time. Tom Bayliss gave them a great start after just twelve minutes. Then, top scorer Marc ‘Sparky’ McNulty added the first of his hat-trick three minutes before the half hour followed by Jordan Shipley adding one seven minutes before the break. Super Marc got his second on 43 minutes. 

Marc & Max

Though CCFC’s shotstopper Lee Burge conceded a penalty (and got a yellow card) a minute before the hour allowing Mo Eisa to net from the spot there was no way back for Town. The Sky Blues rout of the home team continued with a Max Biamou overhead strike after 74 minutes and the win was completed by Sparky’s third twelve minutes from time!

Thanks to former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson you can watch the goals and match highlights by clicking on the image below:-

Jordan Shipley

Mark’s Men that day were as follows (CCFPA members underlined):-

Lee Burge, Jack Grimmer, Chris Stokes, Jordan Willis, Tom Davies, Liam Kelly, Tom Bayliss (sub. Kyel Reid -77), Michael Doyle (c), Max Biamou (sub. Jonson Clark-Harris -81), Marc McNulty (sub. Jordan Ponticelli -79) and Jordan Shipley.  Unused Subs.:- Dominic Hyam, Ryan Haynes, Josh Barrett & Liam O’Brien (gk)

Liam Kelly is the only remaining player in this season’s current Sky Blues squad and is greatly valued as club captain.

Gary Johnson‘s Cheltenham side was as follows:-

Scott Flinders, Joe Rodon (sub. Jamie Grimes -46), Will Boyle, Ilias Chatzitheodoridis, Joe Morrell, Nigel Atangana, Harry Pell, Jerell Sellars (sub. Sanmi Odelusi -46), Danny Wright, Mohammed Eisa and Carl Winchester Unused Subs.:- Matt Bower, George Lloyd, Jordan Cranston, Jake Andrews and Rhys Lovatt (gk)                  Referee:-  Antony Coggins

Town’s substitute Sanmi Odelusi, on loan from Bolton Wanderers, had pulled on the Sky Blue shirt for fourteen games in 2014/15 and notched three goals.

CCFC 2017-18

The subsequent events of the season are well known. The point won the following week from a goalless home draw with Morecambe on the last day of the formal season (also our  Legends Day 2018) was actually not needed to remain in the League Two play-offs.

A tremendous double header with Notts County with an emotional 4-1 win at Meadow Lane in the semis was followed by Wembley triumph. In the memorable Play-off Final nearly 38,000 Sky Blues fans in London watched a magical 3-1 win over Exeter City and promotion from the bottom tier at the first attempt (just as had happened  in 1958-59 from the old Division Four).

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.