Report & highlights: Robins 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday
30 October 2021
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Matty Blair’s stoppage time equaliser earned Cheltenham Town a 2-2 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at the Jonny Rocks Stadium.
Kyle Vassell opened the scoring with his second league goal of the season on 14 minutes with a half volley from inside the box.
Chey Dunkley scored and then flicked on a header for Blair to concede an own goal to complete a turnaround for the Owls, but then Blair earned the Robins a point with a last-gasp equaliser.
Cheltenham avoided an early scare when Mattie Pollock thwarted Lee Gregory from close quarters with a lunging block to divert the ball behind.
Dan Crowley floated a sumptuous diagonal ball to the back post, which Pollock cushioned down into the danger area. Vassell was deemed to have upended Bailey Peacock-Farrell before crashing the ball against the post.
The Robins began to establish a threat from set pieces with the dangerous free-kick deliveries of Chris Hussey and the equally threatening long throws from Sean Long.
Hussey’s delivery fell invitingly for Long at the far post but his thunderous strike was impressively hoisted over the woodwork by Peacock-Farrell. Wednesday failed to heed the early warning and Vassell scored his fourth goal for the Robins in all competitions to break the deadlock on 14 minutes.
Pollock was influential in the build-up once again. He was sandwiched between two players as he battled for the ball in the air and Ellis Chapman unleashed a low shot towards the target. His strike ricocheted into the path of Vassell, who remained composed to dispatch an emphatic half volley into the bottom corner.
Cheltenham started to apply considerable pressure just before the break but both Flinders and his defence dealt admirably with a series of crosses. Liam Sercombe played exceedingly well, extinguishing fires all over the pitch and slotting into right-back to facilitate the advancing runs of Matty Blair.
The visitors had only their second clear chance of the first half when Callum Paterson scooped Barry Bannan’s cross over the target at the back post.
Wednesday started on the front foot after the interval but Cheltenham nearly caught them cold on the counter-attack. Crowley released Joseph, who was one-on-one with Peacock-Farrell, but his attempted lob was gathered with ease by the Northern Ireland international.
The Owls equalised on 65 minutes when Dunkley climbed highest to head Bannan’s corner past Flinders at his near post. Cheltenham looked to respond quickly but Joseph’s close-range effort was blocked in front of goal.
Joseph was then left ruing his missed chance when Dunkley added his second with eight minutes remaining. Bannan’s free-kick was flicked on into the danger area and Dunkley ghosted away from his marker to loop his header over Flinders via a heavy deflection off Blair.
Michael Duff responded by introducing Christian Norton, who came close when his effort flashed just wide of the far post. But Cheltenham continued to fight and were rewarded when Blair levelled in the first minute of stoppage time.
Pollock knocked down Alfie May’s corner and Blair was positioned inside the box to flick his header past Peacock-Farrell.
Wednesday leapfrogged Burton Albion to move into 8th place on goal difference, while Cheltenham fall to 16th despite avoiding defeat.
Cheltenham Town: S Flinders; M Blair, S Long, M Pollock, C Hussey; C Thomas; L Sercombe, E Chapman; D Crowley (A May 72); K Vassell, K Joseph (C Norton 83).
Subs not used: O Evans, L Freestone, A Williams, G Horton, D Barkers.
Sheffield Wednesday: B Peacock-Farrell; C Dunkley, J Hunt (F Kamberi 46), L Palmer; O Shodipo (T Corbeanu 55), D Adeniran, O Dele-Bashiru (S Berahino 66), M Johnson; B Bannan; L Gregory, C Patterson.
Subs not used: J Wildsmith, J Brown, L Wing, S Sow.
Attendance: 5,582 (1,438)
Referee: Charles Breakspear
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