Home victories are the key to survival (From Stroud News and Journal)

Home victories are the key to survival

EVEN though there has only been four matches of the present Nationwide Conference campaign, Forest Green Rovers' position is already looking ominous.

Rovers have lost their opening four matches of the league season and are bottom of the table with zero points and having only scored one goal.

Nigel Spink's side are desperate for points and only a win will do this weekend when they take on Chester City, kick-off 3pm.

If Rovers are to get out of this predicament, the key will be to take points from their home games.

Teams have never enjoyed the trip to The Lawn and Chester must be go back to the North West thinking the same.

Margate 3, Forest Green Rovers 0

ON Bank Holiday Monday Rovers had a tough trip to Margate and returned on the back of a 3-0 defeat.

This is the fourth straight defeat for Rovers and the loss came due to goal from Charlie McDonald, Leon Braithwaite and Mark Munday.

Alex Meechan looked to have brought Rovers back into the game when he converted a cross from Alex Sykes to make the 2-1.

But the goal was disallowed because the referee's assistants flag was up for offside.

Forest Green Rovers 0, Southport 2 by Ashley Loveridge

COMETH the man, cometh the hour.

But at present Nigel Spink's team is devoid of this vital ingredient.

A glance at the squad sees a side brimming with experience but a hero needs to emerge - if not a season of struggle could be in the offing.

Forest Green's third successive defeat in the opening week of the season was sealed two minutes from time after Southport substitute Gary Bauress arrowed in a stinging strike from the edge of the box, seeing his clinical strike beat Steve Perrin all ends up.

Perrin, though, had earlier underlined his quality to deny Pete Thompson before a breath had been drawn in the opening exchanges.

Rovers bucked the trend.

The wily Neil Grayson was a constant thorn to Southport but ill luck dealt him a cruel blow on 15 minutes.

Dean Howells' corner saw Barry Jones' header come off Grayson and beyond Perrin.

Despite this setback, Alex Meechan, Martin Foster and Gary Owers came close to scoring the leveller.

Spink turned to the bench and brought on local folk hero Rob Cook, for Kevin Langan. Nonetheless Southport remained a threat.

But with time running out, Trevor Tearney went close to snatching a point.

However, Rovers' hopes were dashed when Bauress' first touch fizzed into the net to put Rovers to the foot of the Conference table.

Forest Green Rovers 1, Hereford United 3

NEIL Grayson scored his first goal for Forest Green with a superb first-half volley but Hereford roared back to take all three points at The Lawn.

Goals from Paul Parry, Ian Wright and Danny Williams gave the impressive Bulls the maximum return.

After their home clash with Chester this Saturday, Rovers will take on Conference new boys Burton Albion on Tuesday night (September 3), kick-off 7.45pm.