Stockport player-manager Carlton Palmer saw his team survive his dismissal to see off fellow strugglers Cheltenham.

The visitors looked destined for another defeat when Palmer was sent off for two bookable offences after 38 minutes.

But his players responded in style and, after Cheltenham had rattled the crossbar through Julian Alsop, Stockport took the lead after 76 minutes.

The visitors broke up field and earned a corner, which Richard Lambert lifted into the box for Jon Daly to head home.

And substitute Peter Wild, who had only been on the pitch for a few minutes, sealed a vital victory in injury time after goalkeeper Steve Book had cleared the ball straight to his feet.

Cheltenham: Book, Griffin, Mike Duff, Strong, Victory, Devaney, Yates, McCann, Brown, Alsop, Naylor. Subs: Milton, Higgs, Spencer, Shane Duff, Finnigan.

Stockport: Tidman, Clare, Challinor, Palmer, Clark, Gibb, Lambert, McLachlan, Pemberton, Beckett, Daly. Subs: Jones, Wilbraham, Wild, Ellison, Welsh.

Referee: P Crossley (Kent)