Cheltenham Town 3 Exeter City 1.

Saturday 20 October 2001.

Report by NICK BEER

GIVEN the history between the two clubs, a trip to Cheltenham was never likely to do wonders for the job prospects of Exeter City caretaker boss John Cornforth.

Two Grecians managers before him have tried and failed to lift the Whaddon Road curse that hangs over the club.

And just like Peter Fox and Noel Blake, Cornforth was left to explain a performance as below-par as Tiger Woods at a seaside pitch and putt.

To make matters worse, almost the entire City board made the journey to Gloucestershire to monitor the ex-Wales international's progress.

Hotseat rival Ian Atkins also put in an appearance, thereby confirming his place on the five-man shortlist for the top job at St James's Park.

It seems likely that, come what may, Cornforth will remain in charge for tomorrow's night visit of Bristol Rovers and next Saturday's long haul to Lincoln City.

By guiding the club to two wins and two draws from four Nationwide League outings, the 34-year-old had hoisted himself into genuine contention for the post of permanent manager.

But the odds against him getting the nod will have been lengthened not just by the scoreline, but also by the muddled manner of City's fifth consecutive defeat against the Robins.

"I will have to put it down to a bad day at the office," he said afterwards.

"If I get the job, I get the job, it's as simple as that for me at the moment.

"We were second-best all afternoon right from the word go. We've trained well all week and I can't put my finger on why that should be but, not being disrespectful, that's why they are Third Division players."

Whether Cornforth becomes a Third Division manager could now depend on results over the next five days - the honeymoon might not be over yet, but the bags are packed and the taxi to the airport waiting outside the hotel.

It was a former room-mate from his Swansea days who did the damage at Whaddon Road.

Towering targetman Julian Alsop - a menace in the air and no slouch on the ground - netted with a pair of carbon copy free headers in the 15 minutes before half-time.

Pocket-sized frontline partner Tony Naylor capitalised on some chronic defending to chip in with a richly-deserved third for Cheltenham.

And Christian Roberts's consolation strike deep into stoppage time did nothing to lift the gloom felt by a healthy contingent of away supporters.

"I've said to them all week that Julian Alsop is a handful and a good player and that we had to try and stop the supply to him," added Cornforth.

"We worked at cutting out crosses all week, but we just stood back and let the left back cross the ball.

"I wasn't happy with the defending all afternoon, but we never really got a grip and we were dominated from one to 11.

"The only good thing is that we've got a game on Tuesday, I've got some hungry players to come back into the team and there will be some changes."

In stark contrast to his predecessor, Cornforth has been refreshingly reluctant to tinker either with personnel or his trusted 4-4-2 system.

City's temporary chief made just a single change to the side who ran Division 2 Cambridge so close in the LDV Vans Trophy in midweek, Kwame Ampadu returning in midfield in place of the crocked Andy Roscoe.

Cheltenham - hunting their sixth victory in eight attempts and second in a week over Devon opposition - predictably started with a real spring in their step.

The gloves of Grecians goalkeeper Arjan Van Heusden were warmed by a scuffed Alsop effort after just 17 seconds.

And their temperature kept on rising as Mark Yates directed a weak header on target and Alsop eluded Ampadu before pulling the trigger from the edge of the box.

Having dodged the home side's opening salvo, City did then begin to make an impression at the opposite end of the pitch.

Geoff Breslan's quick feet left Neil Howarth lumbering in their wake and the Grecians winger's blistering low drive took a slight deflection on its way into the advertising hoardings behind Tony Book's goal.

Breslan and Gary Birch were left staring at each other in disbelief after both managed to miss a measured cross delivered from the right by Roberts.

And the Welshman immediately threaded another inviting ball across the Cheltenham area only for Howarth to intervene ahead of the on-rushing Breslan and Martin Barlow.

But those five heady minutes of City pressure were to prove the high-water mark of an afternoon that quickly began careering downhill.

Only the fingertips of Van Heusden prevented Alsop from butting into the top corner from a deep Jamie Victory cross - and the pair combined again four minutes later to fashion the opening goal of the game.

Victory was allowed the time and space to send the ball over from wide on the left, Ampadu and Jamie Campbell failed to cut out the danger and Alsop steamed in to nod home at the far upright.

Given Cheltenham's overwhelming mastery of the midfield and the slipperiness of their Little and Large act up front, it was no surprise that the Grecians fell further behind before the interval.

Naylor sprung City's offside trap, made a beeline for the byline and stood the ball up for a stooping Alsop to head home unchallenged at the far post.

The contest entered a lull after the break with the home side content to protect possession and Cornforth's men unable to raise their tempo.

The game briefly flickered into life on the hour mark when Roberts cheekily nut-megged ex-Grecian Chris Banks before slamming the ball flush against the foot of the Cheltenham post.

Van Heusden saved brilliantly from Lee Williams and Alsop before the Robins finally put the issue beyond all remaining doubt.

When Campbell attempted an extravagant turn on his own byline, Naylor picked his pocket and darted into the area in search of a viable shooting angle.

Van Heusden dispossessed the former Port Vale frontman and Campbell managed to block Alsop's subsequent effort on the line.

But when the loose ball rebounded back into his path, Naylor somehow managed to evade both goalkeeper and defender to slide home from the narrowest of angles.

Campbell might then have repaired part of the damage from a Gary Birch free kick, but succeeded only in butting over from six yards.

And referee Peter Walton - whose fussy performance brought constant frustration throughout the afternoon - then saw fit to add enough time for City to register their consolation.

Official stoppage time had long since elapsed when substitute Paul Read's clever header found Roberts who paused briefly for thought before rifling his shot low into the far corner.

CHELTENHAM:
S Book, M Duff, C Banks, N Howarth, J Victory, L Howells, M Yates, L Williams, R Milton, T Naylor, J Alsop. Substitutes: C Muggleton, J Brough, H McCauley (for Milton, 83 mins), A Griffin (Williams, 90), M Devaney (Naylor, 89).
EXETER:
A Van Heusden, B McConnell, A Watson, J Campbell, G Power, M Barlow, K Ampadu, P Buckle, G Breslan, C Roberts, G Birch. Substitutes: S Fraser, P Read (Breslan, 83), S McCarthy (Buckle, 62), G Cronin (Barlow, 43), C Curran.

GOALS: Julian Alsop 30 (1-0), Julian Alsop 40 (2-0), Tony Naylor 81 (3-0), Christian Roberts 90 (3-1).

BOOKED: Campbell, Birch, Power (Exeter)

SHOTS ON TARGET: Cheltenham 11, Exeter 3

CORNERS: Cheltenham 4, Exeter 6

OFFSIDES: Cheltenham 6, Exeter 5

FOULS: Cheltenham 20, Exeter 20

REFEREE: Peter Walton (Long Buckby)

ATTENDANCE: 3,393