Cheltenham Town manager Darrell Clarke knows that Tuesday night’s clash with fellow strugglers Burton Albion is a must-win game, with a loss all but relegating the Robins to the fourth tier.
It’s been a disappointing period for Clarke’s side, who have picked up just one win in their last 11 games, that being against similarly relegation-threatened Fleetwood Town. As a result, they sit in 22nd and are five points from safety and although they do have a game in hand on the two sides directly above them, recent form doesn’t exactly back their chances of winning up.
To make matters potentially even worse, the team who sit precariously above the relegation spots are Burton Albion. The Brewers picked up a huge win away from home at Stevenage at the weekend and that would’ve certainly boosted their confidence. A win for Martin Patterson’s side would put a significant gap between them and Cheltenham and although it wouldn’t mathematically relegate the Robins, they would have to win their remaining three matches to stand any chance of survival.
Cheltenham fans, players and coaching staff alike know that this could well be the last roll of the dice and three points are needed if they want to preserve their third tier status for next season. Burton’s home form is fairly shocking but it’s no given that Clarke’s side will capitalise on that based off of recent form.
Clarke knows the importance of the game and in his pre-match interview with Gloucester Live, insisted that he was preparing the players for the must-win game as best as he could.
“This is one of our final opportunities to keep it in our own hands, it’s as simple as that.”
“We have to go and win a game at Burton and that’s what we’ll be trying to do, so we can go into the last week of the season with a chance of staying in League One. I’ll prepare the lads as best as I possibly can and I’ll be ready.”
“We can’t change the past, or do anything about it,” Clarke said. “We have to understand the importance of the game and put in a performance a lot better than we have in recent weeks.
“The message is loud and clear and it has been for five or six weeks, but we find ourselves with a final opportunity to keep it in our hands, so we have to be ready for it.”
Writer’s View
It’s quite simple, Cheltenham have to win against Burton or they’ll be playing in League Two next season. Recent performances don’t exactly offer hope but Darrell Clarke has worked miracles before.
To still have a chance of survival after the start of the season that the club endured is impressive but they’ve massively plateaued in the last six weeks. Burton winning at the weekend further hurts their chances but Clarke will be telling his players that they still have a shot at keeping their survival chances alive.
It’ll be interesting if the Robins do go down as at points this season they’ve demonstrated that they’re a very good side, that’s just not be on a consistent enough basis. A win on Tuesday night would give the fanbase some hope but they may well be doomed either way.
