Full-time: Shrewsbury Town 3, Robins 1
Cheltenham Town’s winless run stretched to seven League Two games as Shrewsbury Town hit back from a goal down to claim a 3-1 victory at the Greenhous Meadow.Byron Harrison’s second goal of the season put the Robins ahead early in the second half, but strikes from James Collins, Andy Mangan and Nathaniel Knight Percival secured maximum points for Micky Mellon’s side.
Boss Mark Yates made two changes to the team beaten 3-1 by Bristol City in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy second round on Wednesday night.
New loan signing Eusebio Bancessi came straight into the starting line-up, with Steve Elliott returning after his midweek rest. Joe Hanks and Troy Brown were the players to make way.
It did not take Wolves youngster Eusebio long to take centre stage on his first Football League appearance.
He set up Lee Vaughan for a shot on the turn in the opening minute, but it lacked pace and was comfortably saved by Jayson Leutwiler.
Like Cheltenham, Shrewsbury used a 3-5-2 formation, with two former Robins loanees Connor Goldson and James Wesolowski in their XI and another ex-Cheltenham man Ashley Vincent on the bench.
Their first attempt on goal was a header from Jermaine Grandison from Jordan Clark’s corner in the fifth minute, but it cleared the far post.
Eusebio quickly showed his willingness to run at defenders, with one thing on his mind and he saw an effort deflected for a corner which was taken by Raffaele De Vita on the left.
The delivery caused major problems for Leutwiler, with Matt Taylor so close to forcing the ball over the line, but Shrewsbury somehow kept it out.
Vaughan took everyone opportunity to attack, in direct opposition to his old Kidderminster Harriers team mate Mickey Demetriou, who Cheltenham were interested in signing during the summer.
Jack Deaman’s pass set up Vaughan for a shot into the side netting in the 11th minute as Cheltenham’s promising start continued.
They were almost undone by a fine Wesolowski pass in the 13th minute, with Steve Elliott taken out of the game, but Mangan could not control it.
Harrison found Eusebio in the box in the 14th minute, but as he tried to make room for a shot the ball ran away from him, but he did draw another save from Leutwiler in the 19th minute.
Cheltenham were then forced to soak up some pressure from the home side, but a long clearance from Trevor Carson fell for Eusebio two minutes before the break and Leutwiler made another good stop to ensure it remained goalless at the break.
But it did not remain that way for long as the game exploded into life almost straight from the restart.
Mangan skipped away from Deaman and fed Wesolowski, whose shot was brilliantly saved by the feet of Carson.
Cheltenham broke immediately, with Carson’s long kick releasing Eusebio, who helped it on for Harrison to tap in his second goal of the campaign.
But the lead only last two minutes as Troy Brown, who had replaced the injured Elliott at the break, gave the ball away allowing Collins to finish well past Carson.
It got worse for Cheltenham six minutes later when Weslowski set up Collins for a shot which was touched in by Mangan as Shrewsbury took the lead.
Harrison skewed wide from a good position, but Carson had to be at his best to keep out Wesolowski’s shot at the near post after a through ball from substitute Liam Lawrence, who showed his class throughout the second period.
Carson was helpless to prevent Shrewsbury from extending their lead from the resulting corner in the 69th minute as centre-half Knight Percival headed home and there was no way back for Cheltenham.
Shrewsbury Town: (3-5-2): Leutwiler; Grandison, Goldson, Knight Percival; Gayle, Woods, Wesolowski, Clark (Lawrence 46), Demetriou; Collins, Mangan (Akpa Akpro 70). Subs not used: Halstead, Ellis, Vincent, Vernon, Grant.
Cheltenham Town: (3-5-2): Carson; Deaman (Haworth 76), M Taylor, Elliott (Brown 46); Vaughan, J Taylor, De Vita (Marquis 69), Richards, Braham-Barrett; Harrison, Eusebio. Subs not used: Gornell, Gould, Hanks, Sterling-James.
Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge.
Attendance: 4,817 (286 away).
Star Man: Trevor Carson