Cheltenham 0-1 Stevenage: wonderful Wilkinson

Joe Martin – thecomet.net

Joe Martin’s free-kick sent Stevenage up to second in League Two with a 1-0 win at Cheltenham Town. Here’s our player ratings.

Cheltenham Town

Scott Flinders – made a couple of good saves in the first half and appeared to inspire confidence in the defence. Might have done better for the free-kick. 5

Carl Winchester – when Cheltenham got him on the ball in the opposing half, he caused problems. Didn’t become a prominent influence until the closing stages though. 6
Taylor Moore – didn’t get tight enough to Godden in the first half, but improved after the break. Some good passing out from the back. 5
Will Boyle – good in the air. Perhaps Cheltenham’s most reliable player until an injury forced him off with a quarter of an hour to go. 8
Jordan Cranston – struggled to handle Stevenage’s right-sided threat and his crossing left a lot to be desired. His undoubted work ethic wasn’t matched by his footballing brain. 3

Kevin Dawson – made some powerful runs down the right and got back when needed. The fact Cheltenham’s best player is being praised largely for his energy though is indicative of the general performance. 7
Joe Morrell – his small stature and neat, tidy play in the middle third was reminiscent of Jack Munns. Lacks the power of a Nigel Atangana but he mixed the passing up, meaning the team didn’t have to go long to Wright every time. 7
Kyle Storer – plenty of heart but could have provided Cranston with better protection from Stevenage’s right-sided attacks. There was set piece excellence on show… but he didn’t provide it. 4
Harry Pell – cut inside and tried to influence proceedings, but he tried too hard at times. Not a wide player to patiently hold the width or protect the full-back – the power in his shots came at the expense of accuracy. 4

Mohamed Eisa – opponents have become more savvy to his speed after his early season form and denied him space. Needs to be cuter in tight areas. 3
Danny Wright – got no change out of Wilkinson all evening, though he did provide the home side’s biggest test for Fryer with a snapshot midway through the second half. 4

Freddie Hinds (on 58) – too similar to Eisa. A willing runner but couldn’t influence from a technical perspective. 4
Daniel O’Shaughnessy (on 75)
Jaanai Gordon (on 86)

Stevenage

Joe Fryer – got down well to his near-post to deny Wright midway through the second half. Staying alert to make impressive saves during otherwise quiet periods can be the sign of a good goalkeeper. 7

Ronnie Henry – supplemented the right-sided attacks well with simplistic forward passes. Sound defensively without ever being tested by a classic winger. 6
Luke Wilkinson – won every header against Wright, normally strong in the air and was commanding all game. Stood firm amid a late barrage of pressure and was the best player on the pitch by a mile. 9
Fraser Franks – less physically assertive than his centre-back partner, but he swept up loose balls and made some important blocks. 8
Joe Martin – struggled to deal with the pace of Dawson on occasions, but gains extra brownie points for his sumptuous free-kick that split the two teams. 6

Chris Whelpdale – won a lot of headers on the right and put a couple of good balls into the box for Godden. Got back when needed too. 7
Tom Pett – led the odd breakaway and linked up well with Whelpdale. Named as a central midfielder yet often drifted into wide areas. 6
Jonathan Smith – not the most aesthetically exciting player, but provided some defensive discipline with five other players looking to push forward. 7
Harry Beautyman – looked creative in spells, but could have done more to protect Martin from Dawson and Winchester down Stevenage’s left. 5

Danny Newton – a couple of harmless headers at the start of both halves, but didn’t quite meet his usual lofty standards. 4
Matt Godden – posed a threat in the first half with a couple of improvised snapshots. Won the free-kick for the goal. 7

Alex Samuel (on 64) – didn’t get much of a chance to show what he could do, with Boro under a lot of pressure during his time on the pitch. 5
Jamie Gray (on 81)
Kevin Toner (on 90+3)