Michael Duff hails Cheltenham character after win at Notts County

Posted Sunday, November 18, 2018 by PA

Cheltenham boss Michael Duff praised the character shown by his team after they overcame a stuttering start to move out of the League Two relegation zone, leapfrogging managerless Notts County with a comprehensive 3-0 victory.

A Luke Varney brace and a late strike from Tyrone Barnett secured three points for the Robins, although Duff admitted he was worried the goals were not going to come after a dire opening half-hour at Meadow Lane.

“It was nice. I didn’t think it was ever going to happen at one point,” said Duff.

“I have said for the last few weeks, I have belief in what I do and I have belief in what the players can do, so it is about changing the mentality and there is a bit of belief in the group now and that showed today.

“What I liked about it was in the first half we had to fight and we showed a bit of character.

“We had to weather a bit of a storm for 15 or 20 minutes because we started well and then stopped using the ball and went back-to-front too long, which was what we did at Ebbsfleet last week.

“We rode it out and in the second half we were excellent, knocking the ball around and it could have been more than 3-0 to be honest.

“The fact there was quality with a bit of spirit as well means it probably is the best performance since I came here.”

Cheltenham’s forward line stuttered for most of the first period, but with their first meaningful attack of the half they took the lead when Ryan Broom’s cross was met by the unmarked Varney.

Chris Hussey wasted a glorious chance to send the visitors 2-0 up when he was put clean through only for Ross Fitzsimons to make a superb save to turn the ball around the post.

County switched from three at the back to 4-4-2 at the break but it failed to change the course of the game.

Varney doubled the lead for the visitors when he crashed in a superb finish from a well-worked corner, before Barnett wrapped it up late on with a scuffed finish from close range.

“You have to take care of your own performance and if you don’t then things like that happen,” said Notts County caretaker boss Steve Chettle.

“It was not good enough. We conceded three really poor goals.

“We have looked at it and I’ve told the players they have to do their jobs because we are in a dogfight here. They have to do things better.

“I’ve been in the dressing room for a week and – while Wednesday was good – today was bad. I’ve got to try to pick the bones out of both and not get too high and never get too low.

“We have to see where we go from here, but they’ve got to toughen up mentally.”