SWINDON TOWN 0 FOREST GREEN ROVERS 2

FOREST GREEN rocked table-topping Swindon Town as goals in each half from Matty Stevens and makeshift striker Ebou Adams saw Mark Cooper’s side grab only their second win of the year.

Pre-match Cooper had urged his side to play without pressure and they sensationally delivered to bring an end to a wretched run of six defeats in their last eight games.

Swindon can point to hitting the woodwork twice and a shot cleared off the line, but in truth Rovers were comfortable throughout, bringing an end to Town's 12 game unbeaten home run and dethroning Richie Wellens' team off their League Two perch.

Missing the defensive capabilities of Liam Shephard, Joseph Mills, Liam Kitching and Farrend Rawson. Cooper was forced into a rejig with Udoka Godwin-Malife, Chris Stokes and Nathan McGinley making up the back three. Cooper went for a leftfield approach by pushing combative Adams up front and his decision was vindicated.

The players of Swindon and Forest Green were denied the pre-match traditional Fair Play handshakes due to the coronavirus outbreak, but it was Swindon who were caught cold on four minutes. Elliott Frear’s delicious cross from the left was touched home by the outstretched leg of Stevens.

Shaken, Swindon responded – Eoin Doyle forcing Lewis Thomas to drop on his shot.

Tempers frayed when Kevin Dawson was handed a booking on 30 minutes for clearing out Keshi Anderson and Anthony Grant found himself the next yellow card receipt, catching Rovers’ Adams.

On the cusp of the break, Diallang Jaiyesimi unpicked Rovers' defence and his ball saw Doyle given the chance to net parity, but the outstanding Chris Stokes was on hand to clear expertly off the line.

Swindon were hunting parity. Deep into first-half stoppage-time Anderson was left frustrated as his howitzer from 25 yards kissed the top of the bar with Lewis Thomas groping thin-air.

Town made a front foot start to the second-half – Anderson arrowing wide and Rob Hunt arching over.

But it was Rovers’ who made it 2-0 on 50 minutes. Stokes hit a stunning pass to release Jack Aitchison and his flighted cross was met by a towering header for Adams who leaped above Paul Caddis to plant beyond Steven Benda with aplomb. A minute later an audacious flick on the turn from Yates hit the foot of the post to keep Rovers’ 2-0 lead intact.

SWINDON TOWN: Benda, Fryers, Hunt, Jaiyesimi (Hope 59), Grant, Edmonds-Green, Caddis, Grant, Yates (Muskwe 59), Doyle, Doughty, Anderson (Isgrove 71)

Subs not used: McCormick, Broadbent, Palmer, Woolery Bookings: Grant 36

FOREST GREEN: Thomas, Godwin-Malife, Stokes, McGinley; Winchester, Dawson, Bernard, Frear, Aitchison (March 68), Stevens, Adams

Subs not used: Logan, M Mills, Hall, Brown, Williams

Bookings: Dawson 30, Adams 65, McGinley 73

Attendance: 9,257

Referee: Craig Hicks

Star Man: Nathan McGinley

Next up: Forest Green welcome Northampton Town on Saturday, 3pm.