Rovers pay for poor first half (From Stroud News and Journal)

Rovers pay for poor first half

Nationwide Conference Forest Green Rovers 0, Doncaster Rovers 2

FOREST Green were unable to take revenge against Doncaster for the 5-1 defeat in October as the Yorkshiremen made it a double at a rain soaked The Lawn last Saturday.

Goals from the hard working Jamie Patterson and substitute Mark Sale gave Dave Penney's team maximum points and keeps them in the chasing pack at the top of the Conference table.

Forest Green boss Nigel Spink said: "We were not at the races in the first-half and we can't turn up at four o'clock. We hit the bar and we have created far more openings in the second-half.

"But we have got to start again now, work hard in training this week and we'll keep working at it."

Alex Sykes, who was making his first appearance at The Lawn since his return, started on the left wing and he automatically extra width and skill.

The hosts gave a disappointing first-half showing but Spink made a double substitution and this gave Rovers a fresh approach. Doncaster started the game better in the opening exchanges and adapted quicker to the torrential downpours.

They had their best chance to score the first goal when Steve Perrin mis-kicked a clearance and the ball fell straight to Patterson, but the midfielder's 40-yard attempt went wide of the post.

This woke up Forest Green and Spink's side started to make chances of their own. A long ball by Mark Cooper was mis-judged by a defender and Alex Meechan stole in and was clear on goal. He attempted to go around Lee Butler but the stopper smothered the ball.

Spink's men were left to regret the miss as Doncaster took the lead in the 37th minute. Patterson collected the ball on the right hand side of the area, took it inside on his left foot and his shot skidded past Perrin and into the net.

Spink replaces Jamie Impey and Simon Travis with Matthew Coupe and Trevor Tearney respectively and this gave Forest Green the boost they needed. Tearney made an impact on the right-wing and he was unlucky not to have set up a goal when his low cross skidded across goal.

After 85 minutes, Forest Green were awarded a free-kick which was well within Mark Cooper territory. The captain, stepped up to curl the ball towards goal but had to agonisingly watch his effort hot the bar and bounce back into the play.

This summed up the afternoon for Forest Green and Doncaster made the result safe when they scored their second goal.

Rob Cousins threw the ball back to Steve Perrin but the conditions forced the keeper to go round Sale but the striker won the ball and rolled it into an empty net.

*This weekend Forest Green play away at Stevenage Borough in the league. This will be a dress rehearsal for the FA Trophy match a week later.