Yeovil battled for a spirited win on Saturday in front of a passionate Huish Park crowd to ease their relegation fears. The Glovers display brought them a valuable result to increase the gap between them and the relegation zone.
Russell Slade was 'delighted with the win' and believed his side can 'start looking upwards again'.
Yeovil started brightly and grabbed an early goal to build some confidence that they so greatly needed.
In the 7th minute Andy Kirk ran from his own half to the other end of the pitch to create a goal for his side, his superb winding run ending in an own goal for Cheltenham's experienced defender Alan Wright.
The former Glover, Andy Lindegaard's clearance rebounded off of Wright past Robin's keeper Shane Higgs.
In the 16th minute Wright had a chance to redeem himself but his left footed effort deflected off of a Yeovil defender and looped over Scott Flinders goal.
Marcus Stewart showed glimpses of his brilliance as he returned to the Yeovil attack, and he nearly doubled the Glovers lead with a header that skimmed the cross bar.
Stewart turned provider in the 21st minute when his neat header down fell to Andy Kirk who swivelled and fired his shot over the bar.
Jaime Peters should have scored a second for Yeovil but he somehow volleyed the ball wide when he was clean through on goal.
Scott Flinders first save of the day came in the 34th minute as he saved a looping header from Steve Gillespie.
Yeovil finished the first half well in control and with a 1-0 lead.
Half Time.
Yeovil Town 1 Cheltenham Town 0
Yeovil came out from the half time break and seemed a completely different side to that of the first half.
Moments after the restart the Robin's front man Steve Gillespie fired a left footed shot inches wide of Flinders' left hand post.
Keith Downing made a tactical overhaul by changing his side's formation to a 3-4-3 in an attempt to find an equaliser and his ambitious gamble paid off.
Cheltenham's prolific loan signing Steve Brooker capitalised on a Terry Skiverton error to fire past Scott Flinders in the 63rd minute.
Ashley Vincent's whipped cross caused havoc for the Yeovil skipper who swiped at the ball and sliced it into Brooker's path who finished comfortable with his left foot.
After recent form the Glovers might have lost confidence and let themselves drop out of the game but Yeovil showed determination and got their reward ten minutes later.
Andy Kirk prodded the ball home in the 73rd minute to make the score 2-1 following long throw into the box.
Cheltenham remonstrated furiously with referee Steven Cook after the felt Terry Skiverton impeded their defender as the ball rolled through to the grateful Irishman.
Anthony Barry had a long range effort well saved by the Robin's keeper late on as Yeovil looked for a third goal to put the result beyond doubt.
Man of the match Kirk should have added a third in the 90th minute when he ran clean through on goal only to have his weak effort saved by Shane Higgs.
Slade was delighted with his frontman Andy Kirk. "You can't knock his positivity. He's a finisher - give him service and he'll score goals."
Slade went on to say, "in the past five games we've won two, drawn one and lost two and we're building up a run now. We'll look to continue that run."
Ian Perkins
