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Yates hails massive win

Image: Mark Yates: Pleased with his side

Mark Yates described Cheltenham's 3-2 home victory over Northampton as a "massive win" for the club.

Two goals from transfer-listed striker Terry Gornell and one from John Marquis against his former loan club ended a run of seven League Two games without a win for the Robins. "It was a massive win for everyone," Yates said. "We needed the players to show character and quality and we got that. "We'd like a bit more of course, but Northampton are a decent side who will be up there fighting for the play-offs come the end of the season I am sure, but we've beaten them so well done to the players. "It was cagey in the first half, but we had the better chances and scored right on half time, but switched off after the break. "We were lucky when Mo (Kaid Mohamed) hit the post and then we scored a couple. I never felt under pressure at the end after they pulled one back. "Once they started pumping balls into the box, I didn't worry because we can deal with that because we work on it every day in training. We now more on to Tuesday night at Cambridge, but the players take enormous credit for that." Jason Taylor forced Jordan Archer into a diving save in the 34th minute, but the deadlock was broken in the second minute of time added on at the end of the first half. Gornell, who saw his initial effort blocked, but did well to steer into the top right corner at the second attempt. Northampton levelled three minutes into the second half when Enda Stevens played in Joel Byrom, who finished neatly. Former Robins winger Mohamed struck the inside of a post after a fine move in the 62nd minute, but Archer had to be at his best to keep out Gornell's header two minutes later. Gornell struck again in the 78th minute, powering in a header from another Richards free-kick and substitute Marquis made sure of the points against his former loan club, after Troy Brown helped on another Richards' set-piece. David Moyo set up a tense finish by pulling one back in the 86th minute with a header from Mohamed's corner but Cheltenham held on. Chris Wilder felt his side should have gone on to win comfortably after levelling early in the second half before allowing it to slip from their grasp with the concession of some needless free-kicks. "We lacked a bit of quality at the top end of the pitch and I don't understand how up and down we can be," Wilder said. "Our final pass has to be a lot better and we were relying on Ivan Toney for a bit of magic, but our centre-backs did fantastically well and we looked well organised with a good shape. "We needed to be better at the top end, but we didn't show our quality. It should have been 0-0 at half time and we said before the game they are a big side, with a lot of height and power. "You can't give away daft free-kicks, but we did that, then we opened the game up and should have gone on to win 3-1 or 4-1. "We showed our quality, passed it and moved it, but another stupid free-kick leads to another goal, the third was from another free-kick and we can't keep chasing games like that. We are naive and too up and down, which concerns me." Breaking news, transfer gossip, line ups and goal alerts from your football club - delivered direct to your mobile. Sign up for Sky Sports Alerts

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