CHESTER 1

FOREST GREEN 2

WINNING the monthly manager of the month prize is often perceived as the beginning of the end for league form, but Forest Green boss Ady Pennock was having none of the old curse as his side made it a league record-breaking eighth successive win to maintain the leaders sensational start to the season.

With the Vanarama National League gong for August in the Pennock trophy cabinet, Rovers started September in emphatic fashion.

Impish winger Elliott Frear’s neat 40th minute finish put Rovers ahead, but Chester netted parity on 61 minutes. However, sub Aaron O’Connor won it on 75 minutes for the league leaders.

Earlier, Rovers welcomed back Rob Sinclair (knee) into the midfield with Marcus Kelly returning to left-back after James Jennings failed to recover from a hamstring twinge, which saw him hobble off during the 2-1 Bank Holiday Monday victory over Bromley.

Meanwhile Dale Bennett (broken nose) remained at the heart of the defence.

Keanu Marsh-Brown and Kurtis Guthrie returned to the starting line-up with O’Connor and Delano Sam-Yorke dropping to the bench.

The Nailsworth side started brightly and Guthrie won a 17th minute penalty after Jon Worsnop upended the leggy striker. Jon Parkin saw his penalty parried but Marsh-Brown skied the free ball over.

However, Rovers nosed ahead five minutes before the break. A delectable header from Parkin saw the jet-healed Frear finish with aplomb.

Chester rallied after the break and drew level on 61 minutes. Wayne Rooney’s brother John saw his pin-point free-kick met by George.

However, a tactical masterstroke saw Rovers regain the lead.

Sub O’Connor had only just joined the action and it was Rovers’ leading scorer who grabbed his fifth goal of the season with an unerring finish from a clinical Marsh-Brown assist.

Forest Green: Maxted; Pipe, Bennett, Racine, Kelly; Marsh-Brown (Clough 84) , Sinclair, Wedgbury, Frear (Sam-Yorke 82) ; Parkin (O’Connor 74), Guthrie.

Subs not used: Jones, Kamdjo.

Attendance: 2,163.