Steve Cotterill said Ethon Archer’s stunning winner was good enough to grace a World Cup final.
The Luton loanee was lurking at the edge of the box and hit a sweet half-volley from 25 yards which gave goalkeeper Connor Ripley no chance.
The 59th-minute strike lifted fast-improving Cheltenham four points off the drop zone, while a virtually unchanged Swindon side looked a shadow of themselves after Saturday’s FA Cup heroics.
“I just said to Arch that goal could win a World Cup final, and everybody will be talking about it,” Cotterill said.
“It was just an outstanding strike. So I’m pleased for him. It was really good tonight.
“If you only think three or four days ago they were beating Bolton 4-0. That’s what makes it probably even more remarkable. So it was a huge three points for us tonight.
“They’re not at the top of the table for any unbeknown reason, they’re a good team. They’ve got a really strong squad. And I thought we were excellent.
“I said a little while ago, it’s time that we put a little bit of a marker down away from home. That wasn’t a bad marker.”
From an early corner, Hakeeb Adelakun tried his luck at the near post but Ripley was able to push it around a post. Then the keeper had to tip over a 35-yard inswinger from Luke Young.
Aaron Drinan then burst past his marker and sent a skidding shot just the wrong side of the upright.
League Two’s top scorer was then sent clear but blasted well over.
A glorious Swindon move teed-up captain Ollie Clarke but he snatched at his shot. Ripley got across quickly to deny Young’s free-kick.
But Archer’s effort after the break edged it, with the high-flying hosts failing to register a shot on target.
Swindon boss Ian Holloway was “bamboozled” after shouting unheeded instructions to go forward rather than continually pass back to the keeper.
He said: “I haven’t got any voice left.
“I would rather see Aaron Drinan with a ball two thousand times and Connor Ripley with it once in his hands, ready to throw out at someone, instead of on the floor, passing it back to him. That’s no disrespect to him.
“I don’t understand, just because you’re getting pressed. Can you make an angle? Can’t you do that and play it through the gap into your forwards? Can you make them run in behind?
“How we can get it that wrong and that right within a couple of days is completely and utterly bamboozling. Did I see that coming? No, I didn’t. But there you go. That’s life.”
