Cheltenham Stuns Exeter! Cup Upset Sends Robins Flying to Cardiff!

Cheltenham Town secured their first Carabao Cup progress since 2021-22 with a convincing home victory over League One side Exeter City. The Robins, despite losing both of their League Two matches this season, delivered a spirited performance, clinching a 2-0 win thanks to goals from James Wilson and Ryan Broom.

The match, played at Cheltenham's home ground, saw both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances early on. However, the home side broke the deadlock in the 28th minute. A clever short corner routine between Luke Young and Ethon Archer resulted in a cross that Exeter failed to deal with, allowing Wilson to tap in from close range.

Exeter attempted to respond in the second half, but Cheltenham's defence held firm. Summer signing Wilson again proved crucial, clearing a Kevin McDonald effort off the line after good play from George Birch. Cheltenham then capitalised on a mistake from Exeter goalkeeper Joe Whitworth, with Jake Bickerstaff setting up Broom for his first goal of his third spell with the club.

Cheltenham manager Michael Flynn expressed his delight with the performance, stating, "Yes, I thought we were excellent tonight. It was chalk and cheese from the second half on Saturday. Even the first half because we looked like we had a lot more energy, fluidity, we created a lot, should have scored more, winning first and second balls so yes it was a lot more like what I expect from my team." He also highlighted the importance of the win for the team's confidence, particularly against a team from a higher league. Flynn is also targeting more signings to bolster the squad.

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell acknowledged the difficulty of the fixture, emphasizing the pressure of playing lower league opposition. "It's going to be a really tough game for us because every time you play lower league opposition there is an expectation to go and win the game, but there is also an understanding that it is going to be difficult."

Cheltenham now look forward to a second-round trip to Cardiff City, while Exeter will be looking to bounce back in their upcoming league fixtures.