Gary Johnson happy with Cheltenham’s win against Morecambe

Posted Sunday, April 08, 2018 by PA

Gary Johnson was delighted to see his Cheltenham side pick up their first home win in five as three second-half goals saw off Morecambe.

Jerell Sellars, Will Boyle and Harry Pell were on target as the Robins passed the 50-point mark to banish any lingering fears of relegation, while the Shrimps still have work to do to secure their English Football League status.

“It was pleasing because Morecambe are a difficult side to break down and they’ve had lots of close games recently,” Johnson said.

“You have to keep chipping away at them as they get numbers behind the ball and leave it to the front lads to get on the end of things like set plays.

“We said at half-time, we had a poor first 10 minutes and we were really dopey at that time.

“But we recovered and started getting into the game a bit, winning our tackles and having a bit more play.

“We needed to make sure we stayed in the game and make sure we keep to the plan, keep doing the right things and the goals came.”

Jim Bentley said he had no complaints, despite watching his Morecambe side make a strong start at Whaddon Road.

“They duffed us up, but I have no complaints,” he said. “The lads started well, worked hard and competed.

“I thought we were brilliant at the start. Kevin Ellison had two great chances and their keeper pulled off a great save. We just needed one of them to go in for us.

“I didn’t think they were much better than us. We asked a few questions of them in the first half and they asked a few of us. The majority of theirs were from set-pieces.”

Both goalkeepers pulled off outstanding saves during a goalless first period.

Scott Flinders denied Ellison in the third minute and Ellison then crashed a shot against the post two minutes later as Morecambe made the brighter start.

Cheltenham improved and Pell forced Danijel Nizic into a smart stop with a header from Joe Morrell’s free-kick in the 21st minute.

Another Morrell delivery was headed towards goal by Boyle, but Nizic was again equal to it after half an hour.

Pell glanced a Morrell free-kick wide in the 56th minute, but the breakthrough came two minutes later.

Sellars beat two defenders and then saw hit shot take a deflection and loop up and over the despairing dive of Nizic for his first Whaddon Road goal and second of the season.

Boyle headed in the second in the 65th minute after a Pell nod down and Pell headed in George Lloyd’s accurate cross at the far post to round off the scoring in the 73rd minute.