Rovers back on course (From Stroud News and Journal)

Rovers back on course

Forest Green 1, Northwich Victoria 0 COLIN Addison could hardly have asked for a more decisive response to last week's disastrous FA Trophy debacle as Forest Green sealed their seventh straight home Nationwide Conference win with a vastly-improved display at the Lawn on Saturday.

Alex Meechan's cool 58th minute winner was all that separated the two sides at the end. But, if they had taken just a few of a string of second half chances, Rovers would have won in a canter against a Northwich side who only forced one real save from home keeper Steve Perrin in the entire 90 minutes.

From the outset, it was quickly discernible that Rovers, with Martin Foster switched from left to central midfield and Kevin Langan moved back into the left side of defence, were intent on playing a much more cohesive passing game.

But in the opening quarter the passing was hurried and inaccurate, while a tight offside trap thwarted Rovers far too often. Meechan stood out in a couple of early attacks while Neil Grayson twice forced visiting keeper Gary Kelly into action, but both efforts were ruled offside.

Northwich's threat came mainly from the pace of leading scorer Greg Blundell, who forced Steve Perrin out of his area to just clear on one occasion, but towards the end of the half there were signs that Rovers were finding their rhythm as Meechan volleyed just over the bar from Grayson's chest down, Ben Cleverley hooked a shot inches over and then Kayode Odejayi, ignoring Meechan free on his right ran through on goal but failed to get a shot in and was forced wide by Kelly who then held Foster's cross.

Four minutes into the second half Grayson produced a clever turn in the box to twice have shots blocked and Cleverley's corner was headed against the bar by Jon Richardson.

Odejayi outpaced the Northwich defence before lobbing a tame shot wide but he made amends in the 58th minute when he chipped a delightful ball forward for Meechan to hold off a defender and beat the advancing Kelly with a measured low shot.

Grayson then headed wide from Cleverley's corner and missed a rare sitter as he chested down a Darren Jones cross but drove hastily wide, while Odejayi was equally wasteful shooting over from half that range and Kelly twice thwarted Meechan efforts before Odejayi placed a firm header wide.

Northwich briefly responded as Blundell raced clear on the left, but Perrin was out quickly to beat away his fierce shot and the offensive was resumed, Matt Russell pulling the ball back for Odejayi to direct a clever flick straight at Kelly.

Northwich manager Jimmy Quinn came on for the last ten minutes in an effort to snatch a late point. But the Rovers rearguard, with Jones and Richardson outstanding and Russell and Langan not far behind, were in no mood to let anything go amiss and at the final whistle they were full value for a satisfying win.

Forest Green: Perrin, M Russell, Jones, Richardson, Langan, Owers, Foster, Cleverley, Meechan, Grayson, Odejayi (86, Cowe). Subs (not used): Jenkins, Sykes, Adams, Giannangelo. Northwich Victoria: Kelly, Royle, Ingram, Came Rioch (67, Allan) Sedgemore, Teather (88, Norris), Garvey, Devlin, Blundell, McNiven (83, Quinn). Subs (not used): Taylor, Turner. Referee: Tony Conn (Royston). Attendance: 676.