Rovers sunk by Stevenage after early goal
WITH confidence leaking and increasingly pitiful numbers coming to watch, Forest Green are fortunate to possess a wise old head in Jim Harvey.
Less experienced managers would surely be panicking about a haul of one point from four matches, the latest of which looked doomed from the moment Lee Boylan put Stevenage ahead after 68 seconds.
Further strikes from Steve Morison and Calum Willock meant they have now shipped seven goals in their last two home fixtures.
Talk of a crisis is nonsensical – the New Lawn club topped the Blue Square Premier as recently as September 2 and they are currently hamstrung by injuries and suspension.
But Harvey will not tolerate gates of 751 forever, and those who bothered to show up on Saturday must be worried about the apparent lack of resources at his disposal.
The opening goal came when Michael Bostwick pounced on Simon Clist's error and fired through a crowd from outside the area, a shot which Ryan Robinson could only parry for Boylan to poke home.
With the burly Mike Symons making his competitive debut in attack, Rovers were guilty of lumping too many aimless high balls forward.
Even their attempts to string passes together looked laboured and cumbersome, with tame efforts from Alex Lawless and Jonathan Smith doing little to rouse the spectators.
It was 2-0 on 23 minutes after Morison beat the offside trap to slot past Robinson.
Boylan should have grabbed another three minutes later, but he somehow screwed wide of the far post from Mark Albrighton's corner.
Harvey's men hardly deserved to grab a lifeline before the break, but it nearly happened in stoppage time when Adriano Rigoglioso's fierce shot was blocked by Borough goalkeeper Chris Day and Kaid Mohamed stroked the rebound against a post.
Matters could only improve in the second half, and the introduction of Conal Platt for the injured Clist at least contributed to more urgency.
The Irishman was involved in the hosts' most fluent passage of play in the 58th minute, switching the ball from left to right for Rigoglioso to drive into the side-netting.
Les Afful and a half-fit Andy Mangan also made an impact from the bench.
Otherwise Stevenage were solid at the back, in stark contrast to a home rearguard that never seemed to settle – Darren Jones apart.
The visitors made full use of six minutes' injury time, as substitute Willock caught Robinson flat-footed with a low shot from 20 yards that crept into the bottom corner.
Forest Green: R. Robinson; L. Molyneaux, M. Preece, D. Jones, P. Stonehouse; A. Lawless, J. Smith, S. Clist (C. Platt 46), K. Mohamed; A. Rigoglioso (A. Mangan 66); M. Symons (L. Afful 60); Subs not used: C. McDonald, T. Burton.
● ROVERS returned to action last night when they took on Torquay at the New Lawn.
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