Michael Flynn offers ‘heartfelt apology’ to Cheltenham fans after Fleetwood loss

Cheltenham boss Michael Flynn apologised to his supporters after a 2-0 defeat at home to Fleetwood.

The Robins were booed off the pitch by their own fans after Matty Virtue’s double condemned them to a third game without a win.

“I understand the reaction of the supporters because I’ve watched what they’ve just watched,” Flynn said.

“It was nowhere near good enough because we were outfought, outbattled and did our hardest to give them more than two goals.

“We barely won a header, passed the ball out of play unopposed and didn’t put crosses in the box when we got into positions.

“I will take the blame because I am the manager, so all I can do is offer a heartfelt apology to the supporters for what they have witnessed.

“We slipped into a negative mindset and probably thought we couldn’t get back in the game after 70 minutes because the game went flat, but we did everything we could to give them the game and that’s exactly what we did; we gave them the game.”

Virtue’s first came after a mistake from home skipper Scot Bennett, who was caught in possession by Ryan Graydon.

Graydon was forced wide by goalkeeper Owen Evans, but the ball found its way to Virtue via Ronan Coughlan and the summer signing from Blackpool tapped into an unguarded net inside five minutes.

Elliot Bonds, who left Cheltenham to join Fleetwood for a five-figure fee in the summer, set up Coughlan in the 14th minute, but Evans saved well.

Coughlan hit the post after half an hour after a free-kick routine caught Cheltenham out as Fleetwood continued to control proceedings and the home side were booed off at the break.

Bonds threaded a ball through for Virtue in the 51st minute and after a sharp turn, he fired past Evans for his second of the game and for the club.

Graydon hit the post in the 73rd minute and, from the rebound, Carl Johnston’s shot was cleared off the line.

Substitute Kian Harratt shot wide from a good position, denying Fleetwood a third that their dominance merited.

Charlie Adam praised his side’s character after they had surrendered a two-goal lead at home to Morecambe five days earlier.

“I’m delighted to come away from home and pick up three points and a clean sheet,” Adam said.

“We had the disappointment of Monday night and I asked the lads for a reaction, which they gave me today.

“We are still a relatively new group, so we’ll need to take disappointments and use it for the next game at times.

“The lads are giving their all and there is a togetherness as well as a bit of quality, which we saw today so I couldn’t be happier.

“The boys grafted, ran hard and when we go with intensity, we are a good team.”