FOREST GREEN 3

MACCLESFIELD 0

FOREST GREEN jumped up to second with an emphatic victory over play-off chasing Macclesfield.

Christian Doidge’s 18th of the season and strikes from captain Liam Noble and Mark Ellis propelled Rovers up to second as the National League season enters the final furlong.

And with 12 games to go, boss Mark Cooper’s side are on the money after leaders Lincoln could only draw at Aldershot and Dagenham lost at Gateshead.

Rovers slipped comfortably into their passing rhythm and conjured the first opportunity inside five minutes.

Hot-shot Doidge fed strike partner Kaiyne Woolery and he beat the hesitant Scott Flinders on the edge of the box, but his shot from an acute angle lacked accuracy.

Seconds later Woolery stepped on the gas to drill a ball across the box, which Doidge was a boot away from a scoring connection.

But Doidge was soon finding his range as he nodded in his 18th goal of the season in the 12th-minute. Doidge, a former international basketball player slam dunked the ball home from Sinclair’s corner, despite the efforts of Flinders and Danny Whitaker on the line.

The Silkmen were frustrated – Chris Holroyd picking up an early booking for a lunge on Sinclair, and they were almost immediately punished from Darren Carter’s free-kick, but Flinders did well to block Doidge’s stab.

Rovers were pleasing on the eye – Woolery driving forward, but rippling the outside of the net as his side hunted a second.

Macclesfield were pinned back, but caused a moment of uncertainty when a Luke Summerfield corner was scuffed clear.

Rovers had a Mark Ellis goal ruled out for offside after he followed up an Ethan Pinnock stinger as Cooper’s side held sway.

Rovers were spitting feathers when Pinnock picked up a contentious yellow after the restart for an adjudged lunge on Whitacker.

However, Rovers made it 2-0 on 52 minutes. Speedster Woolery won his foot race against David Fitzpatrick to arrow a ball across the box for the supporting Noble to rifle home.

Macclesfield needed a quick riposte and almost found it when Mitch Hancox stung Sam Russell’s gloves.

The Silkmen introduced Nottingham Forest loanee James Thorne and he caused an early concern from a Fitzpatrick cross, but Pinnock did well to put him off.

Omar Bugiel was introduced with 20 minutes to go and his pass allowed Woolery to draw a save from Flinders and from the resultant Cooper corner, Pinnock headed on to central defensive partner Ellis, who nodded home for a 71st-minute third.

Doidge thumped the bar from a Cooper corner as Rovers finished the game with ease.

STAT ATTACK

FGR 3 V MACC 0

Doidge 12, Noble 52, Ellis 71.

 SHOTS ON TARGET 8  /5

 SHOTS OFF TARGET 5  /1

CORNERS 3/5

FOULS CONCEDED 10 /16

OFFSIDES  3 /2

YELLOW CARDS 1 / 5

0 RED CARDS 0

STAR MAN: Kaiyne Woolery (Forest Green).

ATT: 1,596

ENTERTAINMENT: 4 /5

REFEREE:  Alan Young 4 /10

FOREST GREEN: ( 4-1-2-1-2) Russell 6 ; Bennett 6,  Ellis 7, Pinnock 7, Wishart 8 ( Kelly  83, 6); Sinclair 7 ( Wedgbury 73, 6); Cooper 8, Carter 7; Noble 6 ( Bugiel 69,6); Doidge 7, Woolery 8.

Subs not used : Monthe, Gosling.

MACCLESFIELD:  ( 4-5-1) Flinders 6; Halls 6, Pilkington 7, Byrne 6, Fitzpatrick 6; Hancox 6 ( Thorne 61, 6), James 6, Summerfield 6, Whitaker 6 (Browne 55, 6), Jennings 6 (Haworth 66, 6) ; Holroyd 6.

Subs not used: McCombe, Ross.