BISHOP'S CLEEVE 0

FOREST GREEN 2

A RAFT of trialists and academy players were assessed as a Forest Green side kick-started pre-season with a routine victory at Bishop’s Cleeve.

Faces on trial, included Port Vale keeper Harry Pickering and former Fulham midfielder Josh Smile, who played for Oxford United last weekend.

Promotion at Wembley in May, which catapulted Rovers into the Football League for the first time in their history, seemed a million miles away on a damp night at non-league Cleeve.

Captain Liam Noble, who agreed a three-year contract extension today, Dan Wishart, Omar Bugiel, Shamir Mullings, Olly Mehew and Jordan Morris were the only names of first-team note.

With manager Mark Cooper watching from the stands, assistant manager Scott Lindsey and academy boss Scott Bartlett took control of team affairs.

Newly-appointed academy assistant Chris Barker, the former Aldershot player-manager, and most recently Bartlett’s assistant at Weston, added a touch of experience at the back.

Two goals in the opening 18 minutes finished the match.

Wishart picked his spot from the edge of the box and a clinical Olly Mehew smash - proved the difference against a resolute Cleeve.

In truth, Cleeve created little, but keeper Paul Tassell showed sharp reflexes to touch a Noble free-kick wide.

And Tassell was almost caught cold when his hurried clearance fell to Noble, who tried an audacious strike from just inside the Cleeve half.

On the cusp of the break, Mehew arrowed a ball into Mullings, but his point-blank prod hit the feet of Tassell.

The second-period failed to raise the pulses, but Mehew nearly found his second of the night and then Barker drilled wide.

Rovers make the short trip across Nailsworth to Shortwood United on Friday and travel to Brimscombe 24 hours later.