Nationwide League Division Three Play-Off Semi-Final - 30/4/02 - Whaddon Road
After narrowly missing out on automatic promotion, Cheltenham overcame Hartlepool over a two-legged semi-final, but there was nothing to choose between the sides in either match and even the decisive penalty stayed out by a hair's breadth.
The first leg had ended all square, with Neil Grayson hitting a crucial equaliser for Cheltenham at Victoria Park. Pool faced a marathon midweek trip down to Gloucestershire and Chris Turner's side started purposefully.
Just as they had done in the first leg, Hartlepool took a first half lead. Paul Smith's cross was headed out by Richard Walker, but it fell to wing-back Paul Arnison who drove home an unstoppable shot from 20 yards to stun Whaddon Road.
The setback startled Cheltenham into life and after trailing for nine minutes, Lee Williams scored one of the goals of the season to put the Robins back on level terms. Williams had been a revelation on the right side of midfield following his move from Mansfield earlier in the season. The former Aston Villa youngster cut inside and thundered in a left-foot shot that cannoned in off the cross bar, leaving Anthony Williams with no chance whatsoever.
The remainder of the match was a tight, nervy affair and it was no surprise when the match finished with honours even and a shoot-out was necessary to separate the two teams.
Neil Grayson was first up for Steve Cotterill's side and the left-footer made no mistake. Paul Smith for Pool and Cheltenham's Martyn Lee, on-loan from Wycombe, converted, before Paul Stephenson blazed his shot over the bar to give the Robins an advantage.
Skipper Mark Yates made no mistake and Arnison was on target for the visitors. Mike Duff then missed for Cheltenham and after Kevin Henderson and John Finnigan had both found the net, the shoot-out moved into sudden death.
Top scorer Julian Alsop calmy stepped up, slotted home and put the pressure on Hartlepool's Richie Humphreys who had to score to keep his side in with a chance of making the Millennium Stadium Final.
Humphreys' effort crashed against the bar, hit Steve Book and hit a post, before finally rebounding to safety. After a few seconds of disbelief, the celebrations began - Cheltenham had reached the final of the play-offs in only their third season in the Football League.
Cheltenham Town (1) 1 (Williams 26)
Lincoln City (1) 1 (Arnison 17)
(Cheltenham won 5-4 on pens)
Cheltenham: Book, M.Duff, Victory, Yates, Milton (M.Lee 85), Griffin, Walker, Alsop, Naylor (Grayson 76), L.Williams (Devaney 76), Finnigan.
Hartlepool: A.Williams, Barron, G.Lee Westwood, Arnison, Smith, Stephenson, Humphreys, Clarke, Watson, E.Williams (Henderson 78).
Referee: A.R.Hall (Herts)
Attendance: 7,165