A fantastic game of football between two excellent sides. While we can be critical of Forest Green for many reasons, you can't question the quality of the football they are playing this season and in the first half last night some of their play was sublime. With the possible exception of MK Dons a few years ago, I have not seen a lower league side control the ball and switch play the way they did in the first forty five minutes last night. All credit then to Rovers, for having the tactical know-how and the character to beat FGR at their own game after half time: some of our one-touch passing and movement was superb in the second half.
In the first half we were outplayed, in the first fifteen minutes outclassed. FGR set up in a diamond formation and tactically we could not cope, with Hughes and Maynard overrun in midfield and the back four under constant pressure. Having equalised their early goal with a set play, we took a battering for the next twenty minutes and it was only some last ditch blocks, some great saves from Davies and the profligacy of the FGR forwards that kept us in the game. The pressure did ease slightly midway through the half, but we still had no genuine possession and spent virtually the entire forty five minutes in our half of the pitch. Our problems were not just down to the brilliance of FGR's passing, as we failed to press or put a foot in in midfield and our full backs never got tight and allowed far too many crosses to come into our box. I was amazed that we were still in the game at half time and if FGR had a top quality striker I don't think we would have been: their lack of a top goalscorer is their obvious weakness and could cost them ultimately.
Micky had to change things to give us a chance of getting back into the game, and after the break Kirby was moved into midfield and Tollitt was also switched centrally to play behind the strikers. The change brought immediate dividends as we gained control of midfield in the early stages of the half and began to grow in confidence, looking more comfortable in possession and pressing FGR as a team whenever they tried to play out. The movement and probing of Kirby and Tollitt began to carve FGR open, and Hughes began to dictate things in the centre. Micky made a further tactical switch, replacing Cook with Norwood, which made sense as with our narrow formation there was not much supply from out wide for a target man. After creating numerous chances, Norwood deservedly equalised after being played in by Mangan, expertly finishing the kind of one-on-one opportunity he has often missed while at Rovers. For the remainder of the match we controlled proceedings, although FGR did have a threat on the break, and Mangan should really have won the game in stoppage time, the FGR keeper denying him with a great save.
Overall, I get the impression that FGR played much better last night than they did against Lincoln, partly in reaction to that defeat, while Rovers looked a much better side than Lincoln did on Saturday, which has to be encouraging. A number of FGR fans have said it was the best game they had seen at this level. I think the championship race is wide open, with ourselves, FGR, Lincoln, Dagenham and Barrow all capable of winning it, but we certainly have nothing to fear from any of those teams. I think we just have to enjoy the attacking football we are playing under Mellon and hope we get the breaks in the crucial stages of the season.
Individually, it is difficult to single players out as the whole team put in a monumental effort in the second half. However, Hughes, Tollitt and the much maligned Kirby would be my pick of the players, while Ihiekwe put in a terrific performance at right back in the second half, both defensively and on numerous attacking raids.
A great night and hopefully there will be more to come under MM.