Steve Cotterill admitted his Cheltenham team looked leggy in their 1-1 Sky Bet League Two home draw with Harrogate.
Wrexham loanee Jake Bickerstaff put the Robins in front, but it was cancelled out by Conor McAleny’s penalty to move the Sulphurites out of the bottom two.
Cotterill felt the midweek win at Swindon had taken a lot out of his players.
“We didn’t look sharp and it was our third game in a week, while they’ve had two,” Cotterill said.
“That showed in the sharpness, or lack of sharpness and it wasn’t anything different to what I expected today.
“The last couple of games before today have been highly emotional and there has been an incredible amount of hard work put in.
“I said to the boys at half-time, this might be one you need to grind out and win 1-0.
“Harrogate are one of the most energetic regain teams in the league, so they are quite happy dropping off, but then they’ll nick it off you and counter-attack you.
“That’s what’s happened for the goal and we’ve ended up making a mistake, but there was still enough time to rectify it. I’ve seen the decision back and it’s not a penalty.”
Cheltenham started well, with Hakeeb Adelakun’s shot beaten away by James Belshaw in the sixth minute.
Isaac Hutchinson’s glancing header from Ethon Archer’s cross drifted just wide in the 15th minute, but Harrogate grew into the game, with Reece Smith denied by Joe Day’s fine block.
Robbie Cundy nodded Luke Young’s corner past the left post and Jack Evans skewed wide from a good position for Harrogate.
Day reacted well to deny Jack Muldoon before half-time as it remained goalless at the break.
The deadlock was broken when Bickerstaff was fed by fellow substitute Josh Martin.
His first effort came back off the inside of the right post, but he followed up to register the first goal of his loan spell.
Harrogate hit back through McAleny’s coolly converted penalty, sending Day the wrong way 10 minutes from the end after James Wilson’s trip on Muldoon and Simon Weaver’s side leapfrog Bristol Rovers into 22nd.
“We had the upper hand in terms of chances and strikes on goal, so we warranted at least a point,” Weaver said.
“Our camaraderie shone through and the lads carried out all the instructions perfectly well, reducing them to very few moments to be encouraged by.
“We won the ball back in good areas and passed it well. We were a threat down the flanks and just needed that final ball or strike to go ahead.
“Anyone who wants to question our fighting spirit should watch our last three away performances and we can have a good journey home knowing we’ve really performed for the fans today.”
