Cheltenham Town won 5-4 in a penalty shootout against Chelsea U21s in the final game of the Papa John’s Trophy, after being held to a 0-0 90 minutes.
Chelsea stepped up first with the opening two penalties converted, before Robins’ goalkeeper Owen Evans guessed correctly to stop Lewis Baker’s spot kick.
All four of the home side’s penalty takers converted their spot kicks before Christian Norton slotted home the final kick to win for the Robins.
Both sides had chances during the 90 minutes with the best chance falling to the home side as Alfie May’s volley drifted past the far post.
The Blues first shot came from winger Edwin Andersson, but it was no trouble for Robins’ keeper Evans.
The home side controlled the opening 10 minutes with May attempting an audacious overhead kick that drifts inches wide.
Senior striker Andy Williams continued Cheltenham’s positive start with a controlled touch, but his volleyed effort missed the target.
The young Chelsea side began to grow into the as striker Jude Soonsup-Bell lined up the shot but blasted his effort over the bar.
Minutes later, the Blues number 71, Charlie Webster, dribbled down the wing, before drifting in a cross but no one could connect with it.
Chelsea kept pushing for the opener with Webster once again in the middle of the Blues’ attacks as he dribbled through the Robins defence doing everything right but couldn’t get his shot away.
With half time approaching, Chelsea mounted one more attack as George McEachran slotted the ball towards the feet of Webster, who couldn’t find the target.
Webster began the second half as Chelsea’s bright spark once again as he weaved his way through the Robins’ defence, but Evans was there to claim the ball.
Cheltenham’s star man, May, was at the centre of their attacks as he looked to break the deadlock with a long-range effort but saw his effort blaze over the bar.
May was again pushing for opener as he worked a clever free kick into the box, but Chelsea keeper Ethan Wady was able to keep the shot out.
The Robins continued to attack as Norton dribbled through the young Blues defence but couldn’t produce a strong shot on goal.
Chelsea’s Baker tried his luck from outside the box as the Blues pushed for a late winner but couldn’t keep his shot on target.
With four added minutes, a late push from the away side saw a last-minute strike drift into the arms of Evans.
With nothing to split the two sides, the game went to a penalty shoot-out where the home side were victorious after Evans saved Baker’s spot kick.
Speaking after the game, Cheltenham striker May believed that there was a lot to take from the game after a disappointing 3-2 loss to Doncaster.
“It gives you confidence, the result wasn’t great Saturday but the performance tonight, credit to everyone who played, going into Saturday we know what tonight showed”
He believed his side performed better than the young Chelsea side: “We ran harder than them, all round the pitch we stuck together.”
Despite exiting the Papa John’s Trophy in the group stage, May believed that his side will aim as high as they can in League One.
“We’ve played big teams in this league, Charlton, beat them, Oxford, beat them, we know where we want to be, so we take it game by game and try to pick up as many points as we can.”
Cheltenham now return to league action as they face Sheffield Wednesday at the Jonny Rocks Stadium on Saturday, October 30.
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