Cheltenham 1 Pompey 1: Draw could have hit double figures

Cheltenham boss Gary Johnson saw his side pegged back late on by Pompey in Saturday's 1-1 draw but joked it could have finished 5-5 on another day.
Cheltenham boss Gary Johnson. Picture: Joe PeplerCheltenham boss Gary Johnson. Picture: Joe Pepler
Cheltenham boss Gary Johnson. Picture: Joe Pepler

That’s after both sides saw chances go begging in an entertaining League Two encounter at Whaddon Road.

The Robins took the lead midway through the second half when the Blues failed to clear their lines from a set play and Daniel O’Shaughnessy fired home from inside the area.

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Pompey, though, did not deserve to return to the south coast empty-handed and earned a share of the spoils eight minutes from time when substitute Michael Smith scrambled home from close range, following an error from home goalkeeper Russell Griffiths.

Speaking to Cheltenham’s club website ctfc.com, a philosophical Johnson said: ‘When you draw 1-1 and you are 1-0 up it is always a bit disappointing.

‘If it is the other way round, then you go home a little bit happier.

‘But there were things we can learn from the game.

‘We certainly gave as good as we got.

‘I thought in the first half we had three or four really good chances.

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‘And in the second half I thought they had three or four really good chances.

‘If we both take our chances then the game ends 5-5!’

Johnson, though, believes a hard-earned point against Pompey may yet turn into a good return for a Robins side currently sitting one point above the drop zone.

He said: ‘They are a good team.

‘There is a lot of experience and they are very good in the final third with their movement and cleverness and their little runs and passes.

‘A lot of them have obviously played at a higher level, so in effect we can be quite pleased.

‘But we want to get wins.

‘And hopefully we can take that into our next few games because this will be a good draw if we can win our next two or three on the trot.’