Cheltenham Town face Bromley underneath the floodlights on Tuesday night at the EV Charger Points Stadium.
Form
Cheltenham go into their fourth league match still yet to have any points on the board. After defeats from Cambridge and Chesterfield respectively, their most recent loss came last Saturday at the hands of Paul Warne’s MK Dons – who are heavily marked for promotion this season. Despite the heavy 5-0 loss at the weekend, Cheltenham did progress through to the second round of the Carabao Cup last Wednesday after a convincing 2-0 win against Exeter City; a trip away to Cardiff City now awaits them.
Bromley joined the EFL for the first time ever last season and they continue to play like veterans of League Two going into the start of the 2025/26 season as well. Andy Woodman’s side have one win and two draws so far in this campaign, beating newly promoted Barnet, Shrewsbury Town and Fleetwood Town. The Ravens have also saw success in the first round of the Carabao Cup, drawing to Ipswich Town before eventually prevailing on penalties 5-4 where they have now set-up a home tie against League One side Wycombe Wanderers.
Head-2-Head
This fixture will mark only the fifth time Cheltenham and Bromley have met in league action. Both sides first met each other during the 2015/16 National League season, with Cheltenham doing the season double winning 1-2 and 4-1. The Robins and the Ravens would meet again eight years later in 2024, with a 1-1 draw and a 3-0 home win for Bromley on the last game of 2024/25 season.
Cheltenham Town
The Robins have had a more than rocky start to the new season as they continue to ride what is a tough set of August fixtures. A big defeat on the road for Cheltenham courtesy of MK Dons has left Michael Flynn some food for thought.
A much-improved performance again Exeter in the Carabao Cup gave fans some hope that they could use that momentum to push on in the league, given that they kept a clean sheet at home and scored two – Cheltenham have not yet registered a goal in the league. Defensive and attacking changes were made for the trip to Milton Keynes and it was a gamble that did not pay off. Whilst it might be premature to say, Cheltenham will need to find the back of the net soon in the league before it becomes a monkey on their back.
Bromley
Andy Woodman’s Bromley have looked a real outfit since they arrived in League Two. A defensively well-structured team that have often frustrated sides all throughout last season; not to mention a prolific goal scorer up front that continues to consistently put away his chances.
A clean sheet against Shrewsbury Town in the season opener is nothing to be scoffed at and a follow-up clean sheet win against Barnet has made a more than ideal start for Bromley. With Daniel Imray returning to his parent club, murmurs on whether Bromley would be able to remain a defensive powerhouse was asked but Bromley have responded in brilliant fashion. Unlucky to win on the weekend due to a last-minute equaliser from Fleetwood Town’s James Norwood, Bromley certainly look to be a real threat to teams in and around the play-offs this season and are without a doubt a team on the rise – watch this space.
Players To Watch:
Josh Martin – Cheltenham Town
Signed just last Friday, Josh Martin is known for being a quick and agile player who aims to drive himself into wide spaces, making things happen. The 23-year-old has already played in League Two last season with Newport County but will be looking for a much-improved season. Not many players came out with credibility following the Robins defeat last week, but Martin was one of the few to come out with any praise.
His well-taken free kick was one of the only plays that gave Cheltenham fans an ounce of excitement. The former Notts County, Norwich City and Portsmouth player was only brought on in the second half, but his short performance was a snapshot of what Martin can offer to the team either off the bench or when starting. Regardless of where he finds himself on Tuesday night, he promises to inject big energy into the game.
Michael Cheek – Bromley
An obvious but clear choice, Michael Cheek made League Two his playground last season and early signs show he will continue that electric form into this season. Michael Cheek is a perfect example of following a dream, never giving up and reaping the rewards. The 33-year-old won the golden boot in his debut EFL season with an impressive goal record of 25 goals – six more than second place.
There were not many teams Cheek did not score against last season, but he did find the net against Cheltenham and considering the Robins defensive record so far, he could very well find himself back on the scoresheet. Whilst Cheek was eager for a move away this summer, he has continued to be a professional and knuckled down, with a goal and an assist from three games. Michael Cheek instantly improves most, if not all teams in League Two and he is by far one of Bromley’s standout players.
