Michael Duff has eyes on the title as Cheltenham all-but secure promotion

Posted Sunday, April 25, 2021 by PA

Michael Duff says there will be no partying for his Cheltenham players until they have secured the League Two title.

Their 1-0 win at home to Colchester on Saturday all-but assured promotion to League One next season.

Conor Thomas’ late strike moved the Robins top of the table and six points clear of fourth-placed Morecambe, who have just two games left and a goal difference 13 worse than Duff’s side.

But the Cheltenham boss has his eyes on clinching the league title, with two wins from their remaining three matches needed to make sure of some silverware.

“It’s a significant result because it’s taken us six points clear of fourth,” Duff said.

“I don’t know what the goal difference is, but it’s healthy in our favour.

“I have just said to the players there is no coming off it now, we want to go on and win the league.”

Thomas forced the ball over the line from close range after Liam Sercombe’s corner on the right that was flicked on by Charlie Raglan in the 82nd minute.

It was the midfielder’s fifth of the season and Duff paid tribute to his understated influence on the team.

“Conor’s had a good season,” he said.

“He does a lot of his work understated and a lot of his work that people won’t see.

“He keeps the ball for us, he lands on second balls and he presses well. I am pleased for him. His penalty record speaks for itself, but it is important that we have chipped in with goals all over the park.”

Colchester are not yet mathematically safe and head coach Hayden Mullins said they are determined to finish the season properly.

“We’ll be going for maximum points in the last two games,” Mullins said.

“We were almost there. We could nearly touch it but we just got a bit anxious.

“We had talked about getting into areas of the pitch where we could put them under pressure and we didn’t do that.

“It was a real stop-start game. They like their set pieces, especially the long throws, so we knew it would be and tried our best to prepare for that.

“I’m very disappointed with the goal because the game was decided on that moment.

“They pushed us back midway through the second half and we dropped deeper and deeper. That’s when we started looking anxious.”