Alfie May and Kion Etete earn praise as Cheltenham thrash Doncaster

Posted Sunday, March 06, 2022 by PA

Michael Duff hailed his front pairing of Alfie May and Kion Etete after Cheltenham thrashed 10-man Doncaster 4-0.

Former Rovers forward May netted two of them to make it 20 for the season in league and cup, with Ben Williams and Mattie Pollock also on target for the Robins at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium.

“When we won the league last year and Alfie only scored nine, you wonder if he’s a 20-goal-a-season man but this season he’s become that and so much more,” Duff said.

“He often played out wide in a 4-3-3 for Doncaster, but we knew he was infectious and he’s just got better and better as he’s matured and become more professional.

“Kion has to take a lot of the praise too because he’s becoming a very good foil for Alfie during this glut of goals.

“He gets booted and kicked and needs a new shirt every week because it’s been ripped off his back.

“We watched Kion (for Northampton) in League Two, where he did well during the first half of the season, and now he’s come here and done well too.”

May continued his rich vein of scoring form with a well-struck free-kick from 20 yards to open the scoring in the 16th minute.

Callum Wright, Will Boyle and Tottenham loanee Etete had already gone close for the hosts and it was no surprise when they doubled their lead through Williams’ first goal for the club in the 38th minute.

Wright fed ex-Rovers favourite Matty Blair on the right and his cross was nodded in by fellow wing-back Williams at the far post.

Doncaster’s hopes of a fightback in the second half were hit after Adam Clayton was dismissed for a second yellow card in the 48th minute.

Kyle Knoyle was close to pulling one back, but May, who joined Cheltenham from Doncaster in January 2020, made it 3-0 in the 75th minute, with a shot into the top left corner for his 10th goal in seven games.

Watford loan defender Pollock completed the scoring with a diving header from Charlie Colkett’s cross six minutes from the end.

Doncaster boss Gary McSheffrey admitted his team were second best all over the pitch as they remain four points from safety.

“We were really sloppy in the first half and they got on every loose ball,” he said.

“Our decision-making, execution of things and sharpness weren’t at it early on.

“You could sense they were up for it and they needed a response after losing (to Crewe) last week.

“We gave away far too many free-kicks because we weren’t sharp enough or getting into areas. We always ended up arriving a little bit late, giving away too many free-kicks.

“Alfie has some quality, scoring a good goal and we’ve lost 4-0, but Cheltenham have probably played a lot better than that.

“They didn’t play great football, they were just physically better than us and sharper than us.”