Paul Trollope's blast at his team for their second half performance against Northampton on Wednesday evening should act as a well deserved reminder to the players that there is still a lot to play for in the remainder of the season.

With so many 'games in hand' the potential for Rovers is massive but the games need to be won.

Cheltenham Town's Manager Keith Downing meanwhile hailed the performance of his team being the first to do the double over the League One play-off challengers Leeds United. "It was a great win for the town and for the supporters coming up here. The players made it awkward for them. Alex Russell's was an absolute gem of a goal, but it'll mean nothing if we don't get out of trouble."

Leeds came into the game off a five-match unbeaten run. David Bird pounced to give the Robins a 38th-minute lead, punishing slack defending by Frazer Richardson who lost possession on the edge of the area.

Alex Russell's surprise shot from 25 yards flew over United goalkeeper Casper Ankergren's shoulder for the second on 64 minutes. A late Anthony Elding's header from a Neil Kilkenny cross gave Leeds some hope towards the end of the game but the Robins held on for a deserved victory.

It was a much needed victory for Cheltenham, their first in 7 games, a 2-1 loss at Yeovil on Saturday saw them drop to 20th place in the table, just one point above Gillingham. The victory lifted them 3 points above Crewe and within breathing distance of mid-table safety.

Looking back at the history of the Robins, the earliest recorded match for Cheltenham Town F.C. was a friendly against Dean Close School on the 12th March 1892. Cheltenham Town played Wednesday afternoon friendlies at a local cricket ground until they entered the Mid Gloucester League. The club originally play in deep red shirts hence their early nickname "The Rubies". Nowadays the club is known as the Robins.

In 1932 Cheltenham moved to their current home at Whaddon Road. The club also turned professional and joined the Birmingham Combination League. In 1935 Cheltenham Town began a 50-year spell in the Southern League culminating in a championship win in 1984/85.

The club entered the Football Conference n 1997/98 and beat Southport 1-0 in the F. A. Trophy Final. The 1998/99 season saw the club crowned as champions and gained promotion to the Football League.

The club won their first ever promotion in the Football League in the 2001/02 season, with a victory over old rivals Rushden & Diamonds at the Millennium Stadium in the Play-Off Final.

Manager Steve Cotterill left the club during the summer of 2002, and Graham Allner was appointed as the man to take the Robins into the new season. But he was sacked after disappointing league form, and Bobby Gould was appointed to replace him. Despite a brave battle, the Robins were relegated back to Division Three on the final day of the season, at Notts County. Gould resigned during the 2003/04 season, and was replaced by another former Gas Manager John Ward who guided Cheltenham to glory in the 2005/06 League Two playoffs, beating Grimsby Town in the final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Following Cheltenham's 3-0 defeat to Port Vale, John Ward announced he had agreed a four year contract with Carlisle United and would begin his tenure the following day on October 3rd, 2007. Ward said he couldn't turn down the possibility of managing a team who could soon be playing in the English Championship. He left the club lying 23rd in the league. Keith Downing was appointed caretaker manager until the position could be filled.

Back on the 30 July 1969 this Rovers team played at Whaddon Road in a pre-season friendly, Bedale, Roberts, Stanton, Prince, Taylor (S), Ellard, Jones (B), Ronaldson, Stubbs, Gadston, Jarman, Sub Higgins. Both Laurie Taylor and Dick Shepperd were injured.

Rovers were forced to play all out in this game against their Southern League opposition. Jarman opened the scoring with a goal from 12 yards in the 35th minute. Five minutes later Stubbs was on the end of a Gadston pass and drilled the ball home. Five minutes after half-time the Robins keeper Tallant saved a Stubbs penalty. Gadston had two shots cleared from the line before Stubbs ran through to head Rovers third and final goal.

Rovers record at Whaddon Road since the Robins have achieved League status is excellent with 2 wins and 2 draws in the 4 games played there. The last of those was a memorable 3-2 win on 14th January 2006. After Jamie Forrester had given Rovers an 18th minute lead the Gas looked to be heading to victory until goals by Gillespie (70 mins) and Odejayi (88 mins) turned the game around. Then a sensational finish saw Craig Disley (89 mins) and John Anderson (90 + 3 mins) score to claw all three points back for Rovers.

Commenting after the memorable mid-week win at Leeds Keith Downing said, "If you look back at the game when we played them at Whaddon Road they had 20 odd shots and we rode our luck a little bit. Today we did a real classic counter-attacking job. We got behind the ball and made it awkward for them."

"It was a great effort and I'm going to let them enjoy the night because coming to Leeds United and doing the double over them is a great achievement. But, it will mean nothing if we don't get out of trouble. It's important that the boys remember that and come in Thursday looking forward to the local derby against Bristol Rovers."

Rovers will need to perform at 100% to show that they have the capacity to put in a challenge for the promotion Play-Off places. The West Brom game was an abject lesson in taking chances by a team right on top of their game, If Rovers take note of this and gain a good return from those 'games in hand' there is no reason that they can't be making a push for the top of the table.

Written by Gerry Prewett