Two late goals from Lee Barnard helped Southend United book their place in the second round of the Carling Cup.
The striker was in the right place to help the Blues mount a comeback and secure a 2-1 victory against their League Two opponents.
And the result also helped Southend avoid a second successive defeat to Cheltenham at the first hurdle of the competition, after an extra time defeat at Roots Hall last season.
Within the opening two minutes, Jean-Yves M'Voto got involved on his debut when heading over Franck Moussa's corner at the near post.
Barry Hayles sliced the ball over the top from inside the area for the hosts before play switched to the other end, with James Walker drilling a fierce shot that had goalkeeper Scott Brown diving down low to gather the ball.
Walker was involved in another swift Southend attack, but again could only place the ball in the direction of Brown who made a comfortable save.
Southend looked lively at the start, with Jean-Francois Christophe taking a shoot on sight policy when arrowing the ball just wide of the left-hand post from 20 yards.
A left wing cross from Moussa was then headed over by Barnard from six yards out before Matt Heath came even closer on the 20 minute mark when he headed an Alan McCormack cross against the left-hand post.
The Blues continued to pepper the Cheltenham goal and Heath became the latest guilty party to miss a good opportunity when heading Moussa's delivery wide of the target from close range.
Having been on top for the first half, Cheltenham nearly caught Southend cold on the counter attack, with captain Steve Mildenhall pressed into action for the first time.
David Hutton escaped the attentions of the Blues defence and looked set to slot the ball into the far corner, only for Mildenhall to pull off a brilliant save and turn the ball around the post with his left hand.
Moments later Mildenhall made another superb stop, as he blocked Michael Townsend's point blank header before Anthony Grant cleared the loose ball to safety.
And on the stroke of half time Cheltenham's surge of pressure paid off, with Elvis Hammond meeting Andy Gallinagh's cross and drilling the ball beyond Mildenhall.
The second half was a tepid affair at the start though, as Southend struggled to regain their early momentum and created little in front of goal to help them back into the tie.
A miss kick from Brown presented Barnard with the chance to drill the ball towards a gaping net, but the Cheltenham stopper recovered to rectify his mistake by smothering the ball.
With 20 minutes of the match remaining, Steve Tilson made a double substitution by bringing on Lee Sawyer and Dougie Freedman, but it was Barnard again involved in the final third, as he rifled a long range shot which Brown blocked out.
But in the 76th minute Barnard came up trumps, as Heath headed Simon Francis' right wing cross into the striker's path and he did the rest by heading it past Brown.
A low cross from Sawyer was cut out at the last minute by Shane Duff as Freedman prepared to pounce in front of goal, with the complexion of the game now changed in Southend's favour for the closing 10 minutes.
McCormack blasted the ball straight at Brown from 35 yards, but with time ticking down Barnard arrived on cue again.
Another cross from Francis was at the perfect height for Barnard to head the ball underneath Brown in the 88th minute.
The fourth official signalled four minutes of injury time, but having dealt with a succession of Cheltenham corners, Southend secured their passage into the second round.
Southend: Mildenhall, Francis, Heath, M'Voto, White, Grant, Christophe (Sawyer 70), McCormack, Moussa, Walker (Freedman 70), Barnard (Revell 90).
Cheltenham: Brown, Bird (Denton 90), Ridley, Duff, Townsend, Pook, Gallinagh, Richards, Hutton, Hammond (Alsop 56), Hayles.
