Robins’ triumph down to ‘unity’

The Robins hit back from 3-1 down to triumph 4-3 with Matt Sysum’s injury-time headed winner despite playing 77 minutes with defender Liam Harding in goal after keeper Kevin Sawyer was sent off.

Victory in Wiltshire last weekend extended their incredible run of results without defeat to 11 and lifted them to fourth in the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West table.

Manager Collicutt heaped praise on his side for their second-half efforts and will be looking for more of the same at home to Mangotsfield United on Saturday (3pm).

“They showed an awful lot of character and a lot of unity in how they worked so hard for one another,” he said.

“It was a pleasure to watch. We played some good football and thoroughly deserved to win — and I don’t think anybody there would have said otherwise.

“We rode our luck a bit but they put in an immense amount of effort to turn things around and got what they deserved.

“It’s proved what we have got within the team and club. The camaraderie between the players is good.”

Collicutt was also approached by an Arsenal fan after the match, who said he enjoyed the match more than most he had watched at The Emirates Stadium this season.

The Robins boss continued: “It was one of those games that will live long in the memories of those that were there.

“We saw the good, the bad and the ugly of us.

“The first-half wasn’t our best but when they had missed a chance for 4-1 and we got the second goal back, you could see there were a few nerves for them.

“The second-half was a pleasure to be involved in. We stepped up a gear and you wouldn’t have realised we were down to 10 men.”

Defender Lewis Binns (ankle) remains the only injury doubt for Saturday and Sawyer is available because his ban does not start until January 31.

Collicutt added: “Mangotsfield are one of the four teams that have beaten us this season so this is a game that means an awful lot to us.”

Tuesday’s match at Wantage Town was postponed due to a frozen pitch.