Steve Cotterill delighted to see Kirsten Otchere smiling after first senior goal

Cheltenham manager Steve Cotterill hopes a first senior goal for Leicester loanee Kirsten Otchere can help bring him out of his shell.

The 19-year-old scored the Robins’ second in their 4-2 home win over Fleetwood as they ended a run of three straight defeats to move up to fifth in the table.

“Kirsten deserved that because he’s done really well in training,” Cotterill said.

“You have to bear in mind he’s still a young lad so he’ll be up and down, up and down.

“That’s his first EFL goal so the lads have given him a round of applause in there.

“That’s really good for him and we have been delighted with him. He’s a really quiet boy, Kirsten, and we are trying to bring him out of his shell a little bit.

“The lads like him, they are just not quite sure how to take him sometimes because he doesn’t smile enough! He doesn’t show you enough emotion, but I am sure there is plenty in him.”

The Robins led 3-0 at half-time, going in front after 17 minutes when Charlie McCann’s corner was spilled into his own net by Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch.

Cheltenham doubled their lead when Lynch parried well to deny Jake Evans but fellow Foxes prospect Otchere followed up for the first goal of his senior career in the 25th minute.

Fleetwood nearly responded less than two minutes later when Rhys Bennett’s header hit the bar, but Cheltenham were celebrating again when McCann’s incisive pass set up Jake Evans for his fourth goal of the season in the 39th minute.

Fleetwood boss Matt Lawlor sent on three substitutes at half-time and two of them combined to pull one back five minutes into the second half as Ched Evans nodded in Crispin McLean’s cross.

Ched Evans converted from the penalty spot to make it 3-2 in the 65th minute after Shaun Rooney was fouled by Jonathan Tomkinson but Freddy Willcox touched in McCann’s corner in the 80th minute to restore Cheltenham’s two-goal advantage.

Fleetwood boss Matt Lawlor admitted his team left themselves with too much to do after a poor opening 45 minutes.

“First half we were way off it, absolutely miles off what we are about and what we set out to do and miles off the performance on Saturday (in beating Rotherham),” he said.

“We can’t let one mistake become two then become three that quickly. You then have a mountain to climb.

“Second half, we were outstanding but you shouldn’t have to score more than two goals to win away from home in my opinion. We should be solid, hard to beat and we weren’t in the first half.

“Apologies for the first half to everyone who travelled.”