Cheltenham Defender Townsend: We Played Well

By Matt Jones
January 30 2006

More reaction from the Cheltenham camp following thier 2-0 defeat at home to Newcastle United in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday. Depsite losing the game, the home team went out of the tie able to hold thier heads up high.

19-year-old central-defender Michael Townsend partnered Gavin Caines at the centre of the Cheltenham defence and managed to keep Newcaslte and Alan Shearer at bay for 41 minutes.

After half an hour, the scores were level at 0-0 and Cheltenham Town's players were full of confidence, however scrappy goals from Michael Chopra and Scott Parker after 41 and 43 minutes respectively, ended all hopes of a cup upset.

Chopra in action vs Cheltenham

Michael Townsend: "We were up against it, but I think we gave a decent account of ourselves and the players can come out of this with their heads high because they've had a decent game.

"The lads were fresh and after 30 minutes everyone was looking at each other and winking at each other and saying 'we're all right here, we can deal with this'.

"Then the lad (Chopra) got across me to get his header in for the first goal and Jerry was a bit unlucky with his clearance for the second.

"Then it wasn't a little hill (to climb), it was a mountain. If we could have kept it tight, it would have been a different game in the second half.

"Without those two goals I think we would have given them a bit of a scare at the end.

"I thought I played okay, I thought Gavin was really good alongside me and I think we were pretty solid as a pair.

"It's just the play-offs now. That's all we've got left and it's our bread and butter. We need to get as high up the league as we can.

"We're in on Monday. The gaffer doesn't want us wandering off with our heads in the clouds.

"We'll come back down to earth. I'm on a bit of a downer and it'll be nice to get back in on Monday and concentrate on the league because that's what we've got left.

"There's 17 games left and we want to make sure we get in the play-offs."

On Alan Shearer, he added: "He's been the leading striker in England for the past decade," said Townsend of Shearer.

"He caused me a few problems, but it was a good experience that I can use against lesser opposition, if you want to call it that.

"It's the positioning and know-how. That's the big word - know-how. He knows what to do and how to get you to do what he wants.

"He's one step ahead in his positioning and where he stands. His timing of everything is something you can't teach.

"He's gained it over the years and it's what makes him what he is.

"I've got Shearer's shirt and I was chuffed with that. I set myself a goal to get it before I came in today and he signed it for me as well."

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