Farnborough sunk by three-goal salvo (From Stroud News and Journal)

Farnborough sunk by three-goal salvo

Forest Green 3, Farnbourough Town 1

YOU had to feel sorry for Farnborough at the Lawn on Saturday. But Forest Green displayed precious little sympathy as they eclipsed their struggling Nationwide Conference rivals with a devastating three-goal burst in the first 28 minutes to continue their charge up the table with a seventh home league win in a row.

It was only a few short weeks ago that Farnborough were running out against mighty Arsenal in a lucrative fourth-round FA Cup tie in front of a 50,000 crowd at Highbury. But since then their fortunes have plummeted on and off the field and it showed in a woeful first-half defensive display that shattered any chance they had before they had got into their stride.

Apart from that, the visitors played as well going forward as almost any side seen at the Lawn this season, creating a host of scoring chances and pinning Rovers back in their own half for much of the second half.

But all they had to show for it was a solitary consolation goal from Paul Harkness as Rovers survived several anxious moments in the last half-hour to extend their unbeaten run in Conference and FA Trophy matches to ten games.

Considering that they had lost their first five Conference games before manager Colin Addison arrived, the confidence he has since engendered in the side since then has been little short of miraculous to see. And it was amply demonstrated once again in a decisive first-half hour, in which Rovers took an almost non-existent visiting defence to the cleaners.

The rout began in the tenth minute, when good work by Neil Grayson and Alex Meechan forced Farnborough to concede a corner and Ben Cleverleys flag-kick led to a prolonged scramble in the goalmouth with several Rovers players having shots blocked before skipper Jon Richardson forced the ball home.

Four minutes later Farnboroughs clear defensive frailties were exposed for a second time as Rovers went 2-0 up with the simplest of moves. A long high ball from Matthew Russell hung in the wind and was neatly controlled by an unmarked Kayode Odejayi, who then clipped a precise shot with the outside of his right foot past helpless keeper Tony Pennock and in off the base of the upright.

It took Farnborough 20 minutes to mount an attack of any note, Harkness forcing home keeper Steve Perrin to make a fine low save and they pressed hard for a spell with Rocky Baptiste and Lenny Piper twice combining well to cause further problems in the box. But in the 28th minute they were floored again by another simply-conceived but perfectly-executed strike.

This time Meechan was set free to exploit acres of space down the right flank and his probing low cross evaded a square back line to find Odejayi homing in at the far post to casually flick home his second goal of the game and 15th of the season from six yards. Meechan so nearly made it four with a fierce shot that flew inches over the bar in Rovers next attack and it seemed Farborough might be in line for a real hiding.

But instead they responded positively and with better luck might have pulled a couple back as Gary Butterworth saw his second attempt blocked after he had completely missed an attempted volley and then Geoff Pitcher hit the foot of the post with a curling 25-yard free kick, while Perrin again pulled off an agile save to keep his goal intact.

As a rousing, end to end first half neared its close, Grayson was sent clear only to screw his shot narrowly wide, while Pitcher again forced Perrin into action with an awkward dipping shot and Kevin Langan did very well to block a close-range effort from Dean Green.

Gary Owers who had foraged and tackled relentlessly in an impressive first half, was replaced by Rob Cook after the break and for 15 minutes or so, Rovers still held sway, with Odejayi missing a great chance to complete his hat-trick when he shot straight at Pennock after being put clean through, while Richardson twice had headers well saved by the keeper.

But in the final half-hour Rovers lost impetus and were forced firmly on the defensive by some concerted attacking play by the visitors who pounded the home goalmouth.

Chris Piper went close with a fierce shot that was deflected on to and over the bar and then, in the 64th minute, Perrin was finally forced to yield his record five-game run of clean sheets as Baptiste caused havoc in the Rovers rearguard and Harkness drove home his pass from ten yards.

Green headed over from five yards after further good work by Baptiste, who then set up Lenny Piper for a close-rage shot that Perrin did superbly well to block.

With just five minutes left another goalmouth melee ended with Baptistes shot hitting Perrin and being cleared off the line by Richardson, but it just wasnt Farnboroughs day as Rovers held on to a victory they deserved, although in the end it was not as convincing as their first-half dominance had indicated.

Forest Green: Perrin, Russell, Jenkins, Jones, Richardson, Langan, Owers (45, Cook), Cleverley, Meechan, Odejayi (74, Tweddle) Grayson. Subs (not used): Adams, Futcher Giannangelo.

Farnborough Town: Pennock, Reeks, Taggart, L Piper, Pitcher, Patterson (45, Lee), Green, C Piper, Butterworth, Baptiste, Harkness. Subs (not used): Osborn, Potter, Ayres. Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicester).