Johnson’s all smiles after Cheltenham’s drubbing of Port Vale

Posted Sunday, February 11, 2018 by PA

Cheltenham boss Gary Johnson was pleased with the manner of his team’s 5-1 win over Port Vale, with a hat-trick from leading scorer Mohamed Eisa helping secure an emphatic home success.

Johnson said after the 5-1 League Two victory: “You are in the game to put smiles on people’s faces – but the important thing was that there were smiles on the players’ faces.

“We’ve been asking each other when we were going to score three, four or five with all the opportunities that we’ve been having over the weeks.

“I have felt that our squad was getting stronger but it needed to gel and thank God today when it went to 1-1 the lads didn’t drop their heads and I was pleased with the efforts.

“They had character to come back and score four more goals against a team who were on top for a little while.”

Vale boss Neil Aspin kept his players in the dressing room for more than an hour after the game.

When he finally emerged he said: “It’s hard to sum up the performance. We started well and we were the better team in the first half but two poor errors gave them their goals.

“We had a 20-minute spell when we let the game get away from us and you can’t stick up for the players during that spell.

“The only good thing is that it only cost us three points, even though the goal difference took a battering.

“The players need to do better and represent the supporters better.”

Eisa opened the scoring in the 13th minute after a pass from Sanmi Odelusi.

Tom Pope levelled from the penalty spot in the 35th minute after Harry Pell tripped Luke Hannant in the box.

But Eisa restored Cheltenham’s lead a minute before half-time after goalkeeper Rob Lainton advanced to challenge Odelusi but failed to collect the ball, leaving the striker with a tap-in.

The hosts extended their advantage in the 66th minute when Fulham youngster Elijah Adebayo, who had just gone on as a substitute, scored the second goal of his loan spell at Whaddon Road.

Eisa had a chance for a hat-trick in the 74th minute but Lainton claimed well at his feet as he raced through one-on-one.

However, Eisa completed his treble in the 79th minute to make it 15 League Two goals this season and 17 in total, before Will Boyle rounded off the scoring with a header at the far post after Kevin Dawson’s corner in the 86th minute.

Scott Flinders saved well from Pope’s free-kick and Jake Andrews cleared off the line from Pope in stoppage time.