NATIONAL LEAGUE

SOLIHULL MOORS 0

FOREST GREEN 1

FOREST GREEN remain four points clear at the summit after a dogged display at Solihull.

And Mark Cooper’s side extended their unbeaten run to eight games and with it a mean defensive record of six clean sheets.

Earlier Cooper named an unchanged team for only the second time this season after Drissa Traore recovered from an ankle knock sustained in the dying embers of the weekend victory over Guiseley.

The leaders started brightly – Charlie Clough planting an early header wide from a Liam Noble free-kick.

Solihull responded with Jack Byrne forcing Sam Russell into a plunging save.

Rovers’ free-flowing football was very much on show as they peppered the Solihull backline with corner after her corner.

Kieffer Moore smacked a shot that demanded a gloved response from Danny Lewis and then his chest came to the rescue to block a skidding Liam Noble free-kick.

Rovers were forced to make a change five minutes before the break – Fabien Robert went down clutching his ankle under a strong challenge from Jack Byrne and after lengthy treatment he was carried from the pitch. Robert was clearly frustrated that his evening had ended prematurely as he swiped away the physio bag.

Robert’s injury seemed to knock Rovers and on the cusp of the interval Clough’s clearance was charged down and Darryl Knights was superbly denied by Sam Russell who raced off his line to smother with the ball ricocheting wide.

Sweeper keeper Russell did well to take the ball around Harry White as Solihull broke at speed at the start of the second-half.

Rovers replied with Marsh-Brown arrowing over.

But, they were on target with Liam Daly touching Dan Wishart’s low cross beyond his own keeper to give Rovers a 59th-miunte lead with a carbon copy own goal incurred by Guiseley on Saturday.

At the other end, Russell gobbled up a Knights strike.

Rovers were searching for a second and Noble smashed the base of the post with a drilled shot through a plethora of bodies. Minutes later Daly nearly turned in another own goal as Dale Bennett’s skidder hit the unfortunate Solihull captain.

The touch paper was lit with 11 minutes left. Solihull’s Knight was shown a straight red for a high tackle on Moore with the Rovers’ striker incurring a yellow for his reaction to the over-zealous challenge.

Wishart was an increasing threat down the left and his cross saw Christian Doidge nod over. Rovers almost made it 2-0 at the death, but Lewis did well to clutch a deflected Marsh-Brown hit out of the air.

In stoppage time, Akwasi Asante was a toe from snatching a point for Solihull and Doidge almost struck in the dying embers of the match.

Forest Green( 4-4-2) Russell; Bennett, Wishart, Clough, Pinnock; Traore (Kelly, 86), Noble, Carter, Robert; ( Marsh-Brown, 41) Doidge, Moore.

Subs not used: Frear, Racine, Murphy.

Attendance: 919

Star Man: Darren Carter.