Cheltenham player somehow misses open goal as winless run stretches to eight games

Cheltenham Town player Aidan Keena somehow misses an open goal as the club’s winless run stretches to eight games in all competitions.

Just 10 minutes into the EFL Trophy clash, it was the hosts Bristol Rovers who went in front, Jevani Brown played down the right, who clipped a cross into the box and James Gibbons was on there for a flying header which found the back of the net.

John Marquis was then put through who finished it past Harris but the offside flag was up to cancel that one out.

In the 23rd minute, Robert Street found Aidan Keena at the back post but his shot at open goal struck the side netting. This was spotted via iFollow with a fan uploading footage of it to social media just to show how bad it was…

🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/s1YNhXjLAO pic.twitter.com/b8sPZ16oqg

— charlie (@chxrlie67) September 5, 2023

Had he scored that, it would have been 1-1, but following that miss, Rovers then went 2-0 up, Antony Evans receiving the ball on the edge of the box from a corner, who took a touch and smashed the ball into the top right corner.

It was then 3-0 on 40 minutes, Lewis Collins receiving the ball just outside the six-yard box, who takes a composed touch and hammers the ball into the roof of the net.

Shortly after the break, an own goal by James Gibbons got one back for Cheltenham (believe it or not the club’s first goal of the season), but on 68 minutes, Rovers restored their three goal lead, a free kick taken by Scott Sinclair flicked on by a Cheltenham head and into the goal to make it 4-1.

Bristol Rovers thought it was 5-1 with 15 minutes remaining, a fantastic pass and move found Sinclair open, who curled the ball across goal and into the bottom corner. Only for the offside flag to go up.

BRISTOL ROVERS (4-3-3): Belshaw, Gibbons (Woods 63′); Taylor, Grant, Vale, Evans (Finley 73′); Bogarde, McCormick (Thomas 63′); Brown (Gordon 73′); Marquis (C), Collins (Sinclair 63′). Subs not used: Hall, Crama

CHELTENHAM TOWN (3-4-3): Harris, J,Williams, Long (C) (Chapman 46′); Bradbury (Horton 37′)(Willcox 46); B.Williams, Ferry, Adshead (Olayinka 87′); Sercombe, Street, Keena, Goodwin (Malcolm 37′). Subs not used: Franks, King

Cheltenham manager Wade Elliott said: “I was disappointed at half-time and then we had to make a few changes so it was a bit of an ad-hoc team in the second half.

“But that was part of the frustration because in that second half they showed it was in there.

“I said to the lads you can’t click your fingers and all the confidence just comes flooding back.

“If we can find that confidence and play with a bit of belief we’ve got a solid and competitive team.”

Joey Barton said after his side’s win, as per Bristol World: “Tonight was another step in the right direction in terms of work that’s been put in on the training ground by the lads in terms of certain movement patterns and running patterns.

“We are a working progress, from the Cambridge game we weren’t quite at the level we wanted to be, but there was lots of positives barring the result. The same against Wycombe although we lost both of those games.

“Tonight we saw an improvement and the lads got the just rewards.

“It’s always tough when you are 3-0 up and the team is still sitting in.

“I can understand it from Cheltenham’s perspective, they know if they come out and press us , we are a dangerous opponent so I get the fact that they’ve got to play their strategy and tactics.

“I thought we were excellent and the only blip is the fact that we conceded a goal, apart from that I thought the lads absolutely superb.”

Here’s how fans reacted as the Cheltenham player somehow misses open goal…

@bwfc_elliot: They’ve scored more own goals than goals this season 😭

@Abi_ctfc: My nan could score that

@Mlabus5: 100 fecking grand 🤯

@DadgeMark: That’s just embarrassing

@Spawn_In_Games: Looked harder to miss that

@gparr246: Horrendous

@ellisfursland1: Omg 😭😂

@sigoody6: If Carlsberg did opportunities to break the duck 😳

@Cakeboyslim: Closest chance yet ffs

@PaulCampbell72: What the actual f**k

@IanBurnell27 Explains why Cheltenhams top scorer is playing for Bristol Rovers

@mattyadders: Leaning back, takes his eye of the ball, why not use your right foot?? Record signing by the way!!! #ctfc

@Ollie_Furniss10: Woooooaaah, everywhere we gooooo, watching all our forwards, tryna score a goal

@natedigidy89: “Keena will get May’s goals” 😭

@Jack_fgr: Couldn’t score in a brothel this lot 😭

@bazzactfc: Yeah there’s no saving this season, let’s hope Malcolm is prime Pele #ctfc

@NJJarvie: Good to see Aidan Keena out and about

@maxihobbs: End this season now. Doesn’t get any worse than this 😤

@Owenfgrfan: How have you done that 🤣🤣

@KyGibo: This is why we don’t score 🤣🤣

@ctfc_tomi: 100,000 pounds.

@Joseffffffffffw: Can’t believe I’ve seen this live hahahaha

@sethbarnes3_: could be worst ive seen that

@mjmorgan23: We really aren’t great