Penalty and quality goal are just too much for Rovers (From Stroud News and Journal)

Penalty and quality goal are just too much for Rovers

Nationwide Conference Forest Green Rovers 0, Chester City 2 THIS match against one of the Conference's favourites was always going to be a tough task for Forest Green. Chester lined up with a very impressive strike duo of Michael Twiss and Mark Beesley and it was the latter that was the star with two first half goals. In his last game as boss, Nigel Spink employed a formation of 4-5-1 and this was against a team who had not conceded a goal yet this term. Neil Grayson was the lone man up-front and Alex Meechan was used in an attacking midfield role and he supported the former Cheltenham Town forward whenever he could. However Chester's defence, which included former Rovers star Wayne Hatswell, stood firm and soaked up everything in the first-half. Chester took the lead after half-an-hour when they were awarded a penalty-kick. A free-kick was awarded on the edge of the box after a push in the back by Lee Russell. City's influential captain Jimmy Kelly stepped and his driven shot was handled in the wall by Rovers' Martin Foster and the penalty was awarded. Mark Beesley stepped up and confidently rolled the ball into the net past Rovers keeper Steve Perrin. Four minutes later Grayson had Rovers' best chance of the first-half. A long ball was mis-judged by the City defence and Grayson found himself one-on-one with keeper Wayne Brown. But the ball would not drop quick enough and Grayson headed the ball into the hands of the impressive stopper. However, the match was over as a contest when Beesley hit his second goal a minute before half-time - and what a goal it was. The striker ran the ball down the right wing and kept going into the area. He played a superb one-two with strike partner Twiss and Beesley continued his run and swept a left-footed shot past Perrin. This was a goal of true quality and in all fairness to Rovers, not much could be done about it. The two strikers showed their class and the goal was a delight to watch. Kayode Odejayi, who has been signed on a non-contract basis, came on at half-time and the formation changed to 4-4-2 with Meechan now on the right. Odejayi made a difference with his strength and pace but he could not do anything to start a comeback. The second-half performance was much improved on the first but Chester City showed that they will be near the top-of-the-league at the end of the season if their strikers stay fit and they continue to play like that.