“I’d say it was a fair result, but Grimsby were the better team in the second half, without Joe (Day) really having a save to make.”
Manchester United loanee Ethan Williams sent the Robins into the break with a one-goal deficit after his strike from the edge of the 18-yard box hit the back of the net after a well-constructed corner set piece.
A first goal on home turf 🏡#ctfc♦️ pic.twitter.com/bIpTriNH2V
— Cheltenham Town (@CTFCofficial) March 2, 2025
Harvey Rodgers equalised just under 10 minutes into the second half for the Mariners.
“We just didn’t get going. We didn’t get going all game. We edged the first half, even though they had more shots, shall we say, but we were the better team. We just didn’t get going at all today.
“I haven’t seen that (Rodgers goal), so I am not going to come here and say it was a handball. I am just going to concentrate on how we switched off. We were caught flat-footed and it was a bit farcical really. It wasn’t a game for the memory, put it that way.”
"We just didn't get going all game." đź’¬
— Cheltenham Town (@CTFCofficial) March 1, 2025
Hear from the gaffer Michael Flynn after today's 1-1 draw with Grimsby!#ctfc♦️
Cheltenham are still unbeaten at home in 2025, but that record came close to breaking on Tuesday night as Town came back late on against league leaders Walsall with goals coming from George Miller and Jordan Thomas in stoppage time to gain a point.
Bringing you another Robins Reload đź“ş
— Cheltenham Town (@CTFCofficial) February 26, 2025
An alternative viewing from pitchside of last night's clash in GL52!#ctfc♦️
Thomas and Miller both came straight back into Flynn’s 11 for Saturday where he made three changes from the following Tuesday.
“Jordan (Thomas) did well when he came on the other night, George (Miller) did well and I thought he did well first half. Jordan was below par today. Timmy (Dieng) first half was good, but you could see him tiring second half, so we made the change. We weren’t winning enough second balls, first half either. He was calm on the ball and he’s a good footballer. I wanted him to feed the widemen, but it didn’t turn into that kind of game today. It was blood and thunder, not quite as much as Tuesday night, but quite like that.
“Simple things we didn’t do well. I told them to just clear the ball, think about it later, put it in an area, and make them defend. We let things bounce, then bounce again, then we put it out for a throw-in deep in our half. They have a long throw or a corner. We invited a bit on ourselves, but give Grimsby a bit of credit, they kept putting the pressure on us, but we stood tall. The pleasing thing is we didn’t concede a set play today, and they were very good at them.”
Focus for Cheltenham now turns to tomorrow night when they travel to second-place Bradford, who haven’t lost at home in the league since 26th October 2024 in a 2-1 defeat to Doncaster Rovers.
Bradford City loanee Sam Stubbs has been one of Cheltenham’s star players this season, controlling their back line, with him being unable to play and club captain Scot Bennett injured, Flynn understands things will need to be changed around.
“I might go to a three. You might think ‘How are you going to do that?’ when you are even one more short but I have an idea.”
Flynn spent three years of his playing career at the Yorkshire side making 91 appearances and scoring 10 goals.
“I love Bradford as a football club. The supporters are unbelievable, I get on well with Ryan Sparks, and it’s good to see them at the top of the table. We’ll be going there to win on Tuesday, other than that, I hope they go up and get promoted. That club is a special club.”
