MICHAEL Appleton experienced a footballing first tonight - feeling happy in defeat!

The first-team coach took charge of a youthful Albion XI alongside new Academy coach and former Robins boss Keith Downing and was full of praise for the way they came of age against League Two opposition.

Chris Wood's fine individual strike on 53 wasn't enough to save the visitors from defeat, as it was sandwiched by goals from David Hutton and Elvis Hammond.

But Albion could easily have got something from the game, with Romaine Sawyers seeing a long-range effort hit the underside of the bar, bounce on the goalline and back out two minutes after Hutton's opener.

And Josh Knight was equally unlucky when, in the final minute, he rattled the angle of post and bar.

At 19, Joss Labadie was the elder statesman of the team - and Appleton said he could not fault his young charges.

"We had a couple of 18-year-olds and mostly 17-year-olds out there and they were different class," he said.

"Because of our injuries, we also had a striker, Kayleden Brown, playing at left-back, David Worrall, one of the smallest players on the pitch, playing at centre-half and a 16-year-old, in Cameron Gayle, playing right-back.

"So, when you weigh all those things, I've got no complaints.

"There are a few in that dressing room with very bright futures.

"We showed a bit of naivety in the goals we conceded.

"The first one was from a set piece, which I was concerned about because of Cheltenham's size and strength.

"But we passed the ball really well at times. In fact, they were a joy to watch.

"'Woodsy' also scored a great goal, turning his man on the edge of the box and finding the corner of the net.

"Throughout my entire career, I can't ever remember feeling happy, or even slightly pleased, after losing a game of football.

"But I do tonight

"I told them afterwards they've got to take the result on the chin because they were fantastic."

CHELTEHHAM: Brown; Bird, Duff, Townsend, Ridley, Hutton, Pook, Gallinagh, Bozanic, Hammond, Richards. Subs: Richardson (gk), Tabor, Watkins, Alsop, Durrant, Diallo, Denton, Low, Hayles.

ALBION: Allsop; Gayle, Worrall, Malcolm, Brown, Mantom, Sawyers, Labadie, Knight, Wood, Elford-Alliyu. Subs: Tebbutt (gk), Connolly, Mulholland, O'Neil, Grier, Mannion,