SKY BET LEAGUE TWO

CARLISLE UNTIED 1

FOREST GREEN 0

FOREST GREEN remain in the bottom two after a turgid display.

Carlisle’s Jamie Devitt scored the only goal of the game for Keith Curle’s side on 28 minutes when a Danny Grainger cross caused problems for the Forest Green defence and when the ball broke, Devitt was first to it and fizzed beyond Brad Collins.

Rovers will feel they had a stonewall penalty chance turned down after the break when Christian Doidge appeared to be upended.

Earlier, making one change from the 5-2 victory over Cambridge United, Farrand Rawson resumed battle after suffering concussion in the match at Swindon Town. Dan Wishart dropped to the bench.

Charlie Cooper, Drissa Traore and Keanu Marsh-Brown were left at home in Gloucestershire.

Opting to play a flat back-four and a diamond midfield, Forest Green’s measured pass-and-move game conjured just one shot in a windswept opening first-half.

With boss Mark Cooper moving from the stand to the dugout for the second-half, he was left hopping mad as Rovers squawked for a penalty. Just twelve minutes after the resumption, hot-shot striker Christian Doidge appeared to be tripped in the box from an ill-timed Tom Parkes challenge, but all protests were disregarded.

Rovers were rocked as Carlisle turned up the heat. Former Premier League star Clint Hill watched his header tipped over by the alert Brad Collins. Devitt was close to a second, but can only find the side- netting with his low, curling effort. Only a superb block from Rawson denied Luke Joyce on the line as Carlisle hunted a second.

Cooper turned to Tahvon Campbell, his super-sub hero last week, with 14 minutes to go, but Rovers failed to find their rhythm on a wretched day in Cumbria.

REACTION TO FOLLOW

CARLISLE UNITED 1

Devitt 28

FOREST GREEN 0

Attendance: 4,176

FGR fans: 107

Referee: Tom Nield

FOREST GREEN: B Collins, Rawson, Hollis, Gunning, Bennett, L Collins, Osbourne, Brown, Reid, Doidge, Grubb

Subs: Wishart (Brown 55), Campbell (Reid 76), Bennett (Stevens (93) Subs not used: Pickering, Simpson, Laird, Whittle.

Bookings: Bennett 41, Gunning 60, L Collins 89, Campbell 95

Carlisle United: Bonham, Liddle, Hill, Parkes, Brown (O'Sullivan 82), Grainger, Jones, Joyce, Devitt, Twardek (Etuhu 87), Stockton (Cosgrove 77).

Subs not used: Bacon, Hope, Lambe, Bennett.

Bookings: Bonham 66, Joyce 89.

Star Man: Farrend Rawson.

COMING UP: Forest Green travel to Exeter City in Sky Bet Two on Wednesday, January 31, 7.45pm. On Saturday, they welcome Coventry City, 3pm.