Swindon were denied a third successive home victory by Cheltenhm as the two Robins cancelled each other out at the County Ground in the final game at home in 2018.
Both sides had spells of pressure but no reward as it ended goalless in a relatively dull affair at SN1.
First Half
The opening exchanges were tight with neither side showing their hand.
The only chance of the first ten minutes came from a Matty Taylor set-piece – he curled in a corner to the back post but Ellis Iandolo couldn’t react quick enough to a flick-on and didn’t make contact with the ball.
On 14 minutes, Town opened up for the first time – Luke Woolfenden found a crisp pass into Scott Twine but the forward’s shot flew over with Scott Flinders off his line.
The main chances fell to Swindon despite the visitors edging the battle of possession – but as Cheltenham moved the ball the home side picked their moments to press.
Doughty slid in to win the ball, Twine picked it up and played the midfielder in – Doughty’s shot was deflected away.
And Town’s top goalscorer was doing his duty at the other end 15 minutes later – the Robins, in yellow, worked a short corner to Jordon Forster but Doughty read it and flew in to block the centre-back’s shot.
The half’s only other shot fell to Elijah Adebayo who had his point-blank effort blocked by Chris Hussey ten minutes from the end of the half.
Second Half
Matty Taylor almost recreated his heroics from last week with a free-kick from just outside the box – he shaped to go over the wall but drilled it round but Flinders was equal to it.
It was Swindon’s pace up front that looked most likely to break the deadlock – both Kaiyne Woolery and Adebayo beat their men out wide. Woolery’s attempt was thwarted by Flinders diving at his feet before Adebayo’s cross found James Dunne - but the midfielder couldn’t get his leg round the ball to guide it on target.
The closest the visitors came was actually via Swindon’s Dunne – a long throw was put in and Dunne stretched to clear with his head but diverted towards his own goal. Fortunately, Lawrence Vigouroux managed to spring to his left and tip away.
Wooolery continued to cause problems for the Cheltenham back four with his jet heels – he found himself on the left and fizzed the ball into the box. Whether intentionally or not, his connection powered straight towards goal and the Robins stopper had to be alert to avoid a fluke goal.
Town’s best chance in the second half was from a corner – the ball fell to Luke Woolfenden on the six-yard line but, under pressure, he shanked his volley over the bar with ten minutes to go.
AS the fourth official’s went up showing four minutes added time, Woolery went for broke, driving past the visiting defenders and playing a ball across the face of goal. Adebayo was nearly there but couldn’t to the ball without Forster blocking his path to goal. The defender chucked his body in the way and he ball went clear meaning the final game at the County Ground in 2018 ended goalless.
