Report: Forest Green Rovers 2-0 Magpies

Maidenhead United suffered a third two-goal defeat on the spin in a tough afternoon away to Forest Green Rovers. 

 

Alan Devonshire made four changes to the side which started and finished against York midweek. Thierry Latty-Fairweather returned to defence, while Nathan Ferguson, Sam Barratt, and Ricky Korboa entered the midfield. 

 

United had the first opportunity of the game with less than a minute on the clock. A long throw-in landed at the feet of Tristan Abrahams, but the sole striker was unable to connect as he’d like, allowing Rovers to clear the danger. 

 

The hosts, unbeaten at home in the league all season, soon began to test the Maidenhead defence. Alan Massey, making his 383rd start for the club, made a brave block to deny Jamie Robson in the 2nd minute, before clearing the danger after a Craig Ross save less than 60 seconds later. 

 

It wouldn’t take long for the 3rd-placed side to open the scoring. A set piece was only half-dealt with by the United defence, and a header across the goalmouth was latched onto by Emmanuel Osadebe. Despite pleas from United for a push, Osadebe’s goal was given and Rovers took the lead. 

 

United played better following the goal, and the curled crosses of Abrahams proved troublesome for Fabian Mrozek. A free kick in front of the 101 travelling Magpies was punched over by the Forest Green ‘keeper, and the #23 even struck the crossbar with a similar delivery just ten minutes before the interval. Ricky Korboa, making his first league start since Altrincham, also tested Mrozek on the stroke of half-time. 

 

 

It was a quiet start to the second half as the sun began to set in Gloucestershire. While Joe Quigley shot wide from the edge of the box, Maidenhead would have the better chance to score as a well-worked play allowed Nathan Ferguson to turn and shoot towards goal, although his effort was saved by Mrozek. 

 

A corner in the 64th minute evaded everyone, and inspired a woken Rovers to press for a second. Kyle McAllister forced Ross to get a foot to the ball, while an unmarked Robson shot wide less than a minute later. 

 

Fresh from the bench, Harry Cardwell secured the three points for Forest Green with a little under 20 minutes to play. Osadebe cut the ball back to the striker, who fired home past Ross to guarantee the three points. 

 

A late cross by Miles Welch-Hayes threatened the possibility of clawing one back, but with no one on the receiving end, the ball trickled past everyone in the box and out to safety. 

 

 

Forest Green: Mrozek, Inniss ©, Osadebe (Long, 87’), McAllister (Fleming, 87’), McCann, Bunker, Robson (Sercombe, 87’), May, Quigley (Doidge, 81’), Garrick (Cardwell, 64’), Harries 

 

Magpies: Ross, de Havilland, Latty-Fairweather, Ferguson, Pettit, Smith, Welch-Hayes, Abrahams (Sho-Silva, 87’), Massey ©, Barratt (McCoulsky, 71’), Korboa (Onariase, 71’)