SkyBet League Two

Stevenage 1

Forest Green 2

FOREST GREEN look to be finding their feet in League Two as Mark Cooper’s side made it  back-to-back away wins in a week.

Matt Godden gave high-flying Stevenage the lead before the break, but Rovers showed their mettle to strike back through a Reece Brown free-kick on 61 minutes and Christian Doidge’s header made sure of the win 13 minutes from time. Brad Collins made sure of the points with a superb stoppage-time save from Godden’s point-blank header.

Earlier, boss Cooper was forced into one enforced change from his team that beat Coventry City 1-0 on Tuesday night. Midfielder Charlie Cooper was ruled out following the horror tackle he sustained at the Ricoh Arena. Cooper is now expected to miss more than six weeks of the season. His place was taken by Brown. Toni Gomes dropped to the bench, with Alex Iacovitti coming into a back three.

Elsewhere, goalkeeper Harry Pickering was recalled from Shortwood United to take his place on the bench after Sam Russell injured his hamstring in training on Friday.

Rovers produced their first shot in anger on 10 minutes. Maverick Keanu Marsh-Brown spanked a sumptuous 25 yard strike, which Joe Fryer did well to claw away for a corner. Stevenage responded, but Kyle Wotton’s strike was high, wide and not very handsome.

Marsh-Brown has the spectacular in his repertoire and he watched his deflected curler hit one-time Forest Green and Swindon Town midfielder Jonathan Smith. And Smith missed an easy opportunity to give Stevenage the lead on 20 minutes as he rose unhindered to nod over from a Tom Pett corner. A minute later he was in the book for a crude tackle on Jack Fitzwater.

Chances were scant, but Reece Brown glanced a header off target from a Christian Doidge cross in a dour half that was punctuated with a busy and at times over zealous whistle.

Rovers certainly wanted the whistle to save them on 43 minutes as they went 1-0 down. Terence Vancooten pumped a long ball from the back, catching Rovers flat-footed and despite protests for offside, Matt Godden skipped through to beat Brad Collins.

Stevenage were quickly out of the traps, Brad Collins gathering a Joe Martin stinger at the second attempt. Rovers had Doidge to thank in their own box as he cleared off the line after a goalmouth tangle, which saw Danny Newton get a touch.

Marsh-Brown was growing into the game and his industry helped conjure parity for Rovers as he was upended by Tom Pett on the edge of the box.

Rovers drew level on 61 minutes from a sublime Brown free-kick. The former Birmingham midfielder beat the Stevenage wall and Fryer all ends up.

A stunning goal gained Rovers a 71st minute second. Cooper preaches passing football and a move that started from the back finished with Marsh-Brown standing a cross up for Doidge to plant a hammer-header beyond the helpless Fryer.

Rovers looked comfortable but Brad Collins made sure of the points with a superb stoppage-time save from Godden’s point-blank header.

STEVENAGE 1

Gooden 43

FOREST GREEN 2

Brown 61

Doidge 73

Attendance: 2,099 (86)

Referee: Lee Collins

RATINGS out of 5

B Collins 5

Bennett 3

L Collins 3

Fitzwater 3

Laird 3

Traore 3

Brown 4

Osbourne 4

Doidge 4

Marsh-Brown 5

Iacovitti 4

Subs: Bugiel (Marsh-Brown 79)

Subs not used: Pickering, Randall, Wishart, Roberts, Gomes, James

Bookings: Iacovitti 81, Bennett 83

Star Man: Keanu Marsh-Brown

STEVENAGE: Fryer, Martin, Franks, Wootton (Newton 46), Kennedy (Samuel 63), Pett, Smith, Gorman (King 78), Vancooten, Godden, Henry

Subs not used: Day, Toner, McKee, Whelpdale

Bookings: Smith 21, King 90

COMING UP: Forest Green entertain Morecambe in Sky Bet Two on Saturday, 3pm.