YOU could have been forgiven for thinking you had stumbled on to the set of a Richard Curtis movie, rather than a League One relegation battlefield.

With a smattering of snow sprinkled over Cleeve Hill in the distance, Whaddon Road would not have looked out of place in one of Curtis's heartwarming blockbusters.

Unfortunately for Cherries, what unfolded in Cheltenham was not Love Actually or even the Vicar of Dibley.

Perhaps A Nightmare on Elm Street summed things up more efficiently, as a cruel, gruesome finale ruined what had long looked like being a dream day in Gloucestershire for Kevin Bond's men.

Many people choose the Cotswolds as a delightful destination for a peaceful and relaxing break, but Cherries must be sick of the quaint countryside retreat after falling victim of last-minute drama for the second successive season.

In an all-too-familiar tale of woe, Bond's struggling side shot themselves in the foot in stoppage time as Cheltenham condemned the ailing Dorset club to the foot of the League One table.

Having dominated almost all of an absorbing clash, Cherries were made to pay for missing a host of chances as their wasteful finishing failed to match much of their good all-round play.

David Bird swooped to become the Robins hero as he produced a near-post header in the dying moments, although unlucky Cherries skipper Neil Young may have got the final touch from the inswinging near-post corner.

Cherries boss Bond made six changes to the team that suffered the agonising last-minute 3-2 defeat at Brighton on New Year's Day.

With five of his six loan players back at their parent clubs and Max Gradel's extension not finalised in time for him to feature, Bond recalled central defensive duo Russ Perrett and Josh Gowling after injury lay-offs.

Experienced forward Lee Bradbury, who hit a hat-trick for former club Southend against the Robins earlier this season, returned to the Cherries starting line-up as a lone striker at the expense of Welsh under-21 star Sam Vokes.

The 469 Cherries fans who made the journey to Whaddon Road will have been pleasantly surprised by what greeted their arrival - a dominant opening from Bond's boys.

With new signing Jo Tessem pulling the strings in central midfield and Brett Pitman in lively form on the right wing, the relegation-threatened visitors turned on the style in the early stages with an eye-catching display to match the picturesque backdrop.

But despite impressing, the Dean Court outfit managed to do everything but score during the first 45 minutes.

Pitman beat Robins right-back Andy Lindegaard but the teenager's curling effort from the edge of the penalty area failed to test home keeper Shane Higgs.

Higgs, an ever-present in League One for Keith Downing's team this term, had to be alert to save from a Danny Hollands drive, before the Cheltenham stopper dived full stretch to keep out Jo Kuffour's fizzing long-range strike.

Cherries continued to press but Bradbury headed wide from a Warren Cummings corner before Pitman twice went close with low shots from acute angles. As much as Cherries bossed the opening phase of the game, Cheltenham, who handed starts to Bristol City loan signings Alex Russell and Steve Brooker, improved and ended the half on the front foot.

It was Brooker's strike partner - top scorer Steven Gillespie - who posed most of the problems for the visiting backline as the half neared an end. Unfortunately for the former Liverpool youngster, he found goalkeeper Gareth Stewart, who retained his place ahead of fit-again Neil Moss, in inspired form.

Gillespie latched on to a clever free-kick from Alan Wright and caught the Cherries defence napping, only for Stewart to come to the rescue with a superb low, left-handed save.

With Bond's back four holding a high line, Gillespie broke clear nine minutes before the break. But again Stewart, diving sharply to his right, was equal to his effort.

If the first half was full of entertainment, then the second provided less action, as both teams fought hard for a much-needed win.

It took until the 79th minute for Cherries to force their first clear opening of the second period and Kuffour failed to test Higgs when he shot high over the bar from Pitman's headed pass. And substitute Vokes did no better from a similar distance when his 84th minute header drifted wide after Kuffour's cross had found him.

Moments later the play switched to the other end and Gillespie should have done better from 20 yards when he could only drag his shot wide. But it was a similar story in the end as Cherries agonisingly let the game slip away.

Cherries (4-5-1): Stewart 8, Young 6.5, Gowling 7, Perrett 8, Cummings 7, Cooper 6.5, Tessem 8, Hollands 7, Kuffour 8, Bradbury 6, Pitman 8* (Vokes, 81).

Unused subs: Pearce, Bartley, Partington, Moss (g/k).

Booked: Cummings.

Referee: A Penn (West Midlands).

Attendance: 3959, including 469 visiting supporters.