The Blues were successful in their midweek adventure to Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup but now attention fully returns to League One.
It’s set to be a scorcher in Gloucestershire this weekend as Pompey look to extend their unbeaten start to the campaign to 4 matches.
In their way a side which has yet to taste victory in 2022/23… Let’s find out exactly what Danny Cowley’s side are up against this weekend.
MANAGER
The Robins are managed by Southampton-born Wade Elliott, who took charge of the club as head coach as recently as June, following the departure of Michael Duff to Barnsley.
43-year-old former Bournemouth and Burnley midfielder Elliott joined Cheltenham as a coach in September of 2020 and worked his way up to become Duff’s successor in pre-season.
So far, his only managerial experience comes as head coach of the Bristol City Under-21s and Stoke City Under-23s, as well as caretaker manager of Bristol City for a brief period. Elliott is yet to pick up his first win in senior management.
ONE TO WATCH
32-year-old Exeter-born Liam Sercombe is one to keep tabs on this weekend. The midfielder brings a wealth of experience to an otherwise very young Cheltenham squad, in which last season he scored 3 goals in 41 league appearances.
Sercombe, formerly of Oxford United and Bristol Rovers, signed for the Robins of Cheltenham 2 years ago, following his release from Rovers just 40 miles down the road. He bagged the only goal of the game as Cheltenham beat Pompey 1-0 in this fixture last season.
TOP SCORER
Wade Elliott’s side have technically found the back of the net twice so far this campaign, however one of those strikes was an own goal scored by Peterborough United’s Frankie Kent on the opening day of the league season.
Otherwise, Cheltenham’s only scorer thus far is 29-year-old Alfie May, who is already up-and-running for the new season, having scored 23 league goals last term to become the club’s top scorer and the league’s 3rd overall.
CURRENT FORM
The Robins couldn’t have had a worse start to the 2022/23 season. They have lost both of their opening league matches, starting with a 3-2 home defeat to Peterborough on the opening weekend, followed by a 1-0 loss away at Barnsley a week later. That’s two defeats in two, albeit against sides who were both relegated from the Championship last term.
Cheltenham then had a break from League One to play in the Carabao Cup, although they will want to forget Tuesday night’s First Round tie as quickly as possible - They were defeated by 7 goals to nil by Exeter City at Whaddon Road.
The hosts of this weekend’s fixture do hold one slight advantage over the Blues however… They were victorious by a goal to nil in the last meeting between the two clubs back in April.
So will it be a first win or even just a first point of the new season for Cheltenham Town, or will Pompey continue their unbeaten start and maybe secure their first league victory in the process?
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