Cheltenham Town can't hold on as Townsend's error costs them win

If Cheltenham Town could have mastered the art of defending a lead, this season's League One table would have a very different look to it.

The campaign started with a 4-2 defeat Northampton Town, where the Robins led through an early own goal before it all went wrong and that match set the tone for the rest of the year.

Saturday's match at Walsall completed a run of three successive matches in which Cheltenham have led, but failed to take maximum points.

This 1-1 draw at the Bescot Stadium provided perhaps the most revealing glimpse yet into the future of the club under Martin Allen's management.

He plans to put his faith in youth next season and the midfield that finished at Walsall included three members of John Brough's Under-18 team, 17-year-olds Kyle Haynes and Jack Durrant and 18-year-old Marley Watkins.

It was fitting that Bob Bloomer, a man who has done so much to develop young players at Cheltenham, was sat in the stands to see the fruits of his labour, despite no longer being employed by the club he served with distinction for 17 years.

But the Allen era, which will begin in earnest this summer, promises to be far removed from the previous regimes at Whaddon Road. Most traces of the squad he inherited have departed, the group of experienced and highly paid senior players dismantled to make way for a youthful and more athletic group that Allen will unleash on League Two.

One player than Allen will want to keep at Whaddon Road for as long as possible is Bristol City midfielder Frankie Artus, whose third minute strike at the Bescot Stadium could rival David Bird's volley against Tranmere Rovers for goal of the season.

Artus was everywhere and he has the quality and poise to go with his energy, making him a hugely effective box-to-box midfielder player.

He caught Walsall goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin cold from 35 yards to net his second goal in two appearances for Cheltenham after a short free-kick was taken to him by Michael Townsend.

Townsend, playing against his home town club, has been in outstanding form in recent weeks and he seemed to relish the threat posed by Walsall front pair Troy Deeney and Jabo Ibehre.

During an otherwise excellent performance, Townsend got the final touch on Chris Palmer's cross, under pressure from Dwayne Mattis as Walsall levelled in the 67th minute.

Spurs left-back Yuri Berchiche demonstrated composure and a sweet left foot, showing exciting potential, although he was caught out of position more than once in the second half.

Berchiche, 19, became the 46th player to represent Cheltenham during this transitional season.

When Walsall did deliver balls into the danger area, Scott Brown's handling was impeccable in tricky conditions for goalkeepers

Ibehre had a headed goal disallowed for offside and Sofiane Zaaboub's free-kick grazed the top of the bar as Walsall controlled much of the second half.

But Artus showed tremendous skill to weave through on goal in the 75th minute, but as he looked certain to stroke in his second of the match, Palmer made a fine challenge to avert the danger for the home side and a threadbare Cheltenham side had to settle for a creditable point.

Walsall (4-4-2): Gilmartin; Weston, Gerrard, Smith, Palmer; Nicholls (Craddock 89), Mattis, Hughes, Zaaboub (Taundry 85); Deeney, Ibehre. Subs: Belshaw, Davies, Bacchus.

Cheltenham (4-4-2): Brown; Lindegaard, Diallo, Townsend, Berchiche; Antonio (Watkins 71), Gallinagh, Artus, Connor; Hammond (Haynes 79), Constantine (Durrant 82). Subs: Puddy, Hutton.