Michael Flynn insists he is still the man to turn around Cheltenham’s fortunes despite a fifth successive defeat to start to the League Two campaign after going down 1-0 at home to 10-man Barnet.
The rock-bottom Robins had announced former Burnley chairman Mike Garlick’s takeover shortly before kick-off but they were forced to endure another difficult afternoon.
The only goal came from Oliver Hawkins in the second half as the Bees made it successive wins, following their midweek victory at Swindon.
“Of course I am still the right man,” Flynn said. “I have been in a lot worse positions than this and I have just told the players that in there.
“When I first took over at Newport, I had a group of boys who did their jobs, 11 points adrift at the bottom of the table and we kept them up.
“I know exactly what I am doing but on the flip side if you go and let in a goal like we did today, it’s going to be tough to win football matches.”
Home goalkeeper Joe Day had to scoop Hawkins’ header off the line in the 16th minute as Barnet nearly broke through.
Day also made two saves from Callum Stead but it remained goalless at the break.
Cheltenham lost key man Jordan Thomas to injury just after the hour mark.
The decisive moment arrived two minutes later when Mark Shelton’s cross was touched in by Hawkins, who had slipped his marker.
Lee Angol fired into the side-netting for Cheltenham while Dennis Adeniran came close to adding a second for Barnet in the 78th minute.
Substitute Emmanuel Osadebe was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Cheltenham captain Luke Young in the same minute.
But the Bees did enough to claim their second win since returning to the EFL this season.
Manager Dean Brennan praised his team for digging out a result despite the red card and them not being at their best.
He said: “We were gritty, physical and not our fluent self in possession so I don’t really want to play that way. We had several good chances in the first half to take the lead but we didn’t do that.
“We had one that looks like it was over the line but it wasn’t given. We never gave in, we kept going after half-time and the whole team gave their all for the cause.
“Cheltenham are at a low point but they didn’t give in either and kept going for their manager. They have a lot of injuries but we fought, dug in and we were physical.
“We did all the basics and the ugly bits well.”
