Preview: Forest Green Rovers (A)

16 April 2021

United continue their tough run of fixtures with another long distance away trip, this time to face Forest Green Rovers on Saturday (12.30pm kick-off).

Club News

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17 April 2021

Neil Cox takes his side to the innocent New Lawn looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat in midweek away at Morecambe, although the Iron have kept three clean sheets in their last five games.

The side have lost back-to-back away league games for the first time since January and will be looking to ensure it's not three in a row for the first time since October.

A win could take United up two places from 19th to 17th in League Two.

TEAM NEWS...

Devarn Green returned to the squad in midweek and came on as a substitute as he recovered from a thigh problem from a week prior at Carlisle.

Also returning to the squad to be a used substitute was defender Harrison McGahey who overcame his thigh problem to make his first appearance since early March (away at Salford), and Cox said in his pre-match interview that McGahey could be due a return to the starting line-up.

Ryan Loft misses out again with a groin problem, goalkeeper Mark Howard remains out for three-to-four weeks with a thigh injury, while Manny Onariase has missed the last three games with a hamstring problem. Right-back Jordan Clarke continues to be a doubt after reporting a swollen ankle following the defeat at Carlisle seven days ago.

Left-back Junior Brown is out for a total of five-to-six weeks with a hamstring injury that forced him off against Bradford City and attacker Jordan Hallam is out with the hamstring problem which he suffered against Oldham Athletic in March, while Olufela Olomola's season looks to be over after he suffered a medial ligament injury.

Striker Aaron Jarvis (hamstring) is set to miss the rest of the season, while midfielder George Hornshaw and goalkeeper Adam Kelsey are both expected to be out for the remainder of the campaign too following ankle surgery.

THE OPPOSITION...

Forest Green begin life without Mark Cooper who the side parted company with on Sunday following their 2-1 defeat at Walsall.

Under-18s Manager Jimmy Ball has been named as interim Head Coach of the first-team until the end of the season.

Including that defeat against the Saddlers, it was their fourth defeat on the bounce with just one win to their name in their last eight games. It ended a five-year association with the club for Cooper, who managed the side for a total of 255 games.

Summer signing Jamille Matt is the side's top goalscorer with 17 goals to his name in his debut season at the club. Coming from Newport, the striker was one of their most high-profile summer arrivals, also adding five assists to his tally. Aaron Collins is next on the list with eight goals and seven assists.

Udoka Godwin-Malife has played their most minutes in the league so far this season, clocking up a total of 3,442 with Matt second having played 2,965. Ebou Adams is statistically their worst-disciplined player with six yellow cards and two reds to his name this season.

PAST MEETINGS…

We have met on just four previous occasions, with the Green Army winning for the first time in the reverse fixture back in October, despite Aaron Jarvis breaking the deadlock for the Iron.

Scunthorpe won 2-0 at the New Lawn last season, with Alex Gilliead and Abo Eisa scoring after Jake Eastwood's penalty save from Matt Stevens.

Prior to that, the two teams had only met once, with United running out 2-0 winners in the FA Cup first round in November 2004. Gary McSheffrey scored two goals as the Iron negotiated through a tricky tie at the then non-league outfit.

SEASON - DATE	COMPETITION	RESULT	IRON SCORERS
2020-21 - Sat Oct 10	LG 2	Iron 1-4 Forest Green Rovers	Jarvis
2019-20 - Sat Feb 22	LG 2	Iron 1-0 Forest Green Rovers	McAtee
2019-20 - Sat Dec 7	LG 2	Forest Green Rovers 0-2 Iron	Gilliead, Eisa
2014-15 - Sun Nov 9	FAC R1	Forest Green Rovers 0-2 Iron	McSheffrey (2)

	SCUNTHORPE WINS	DRAWS	FOREST GREEN WINS
CUP	1	0	0
LEAGUE	2	0	1
TOTAL	3	0	1

ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO

Friday
Crawley Town v Cheltenham Town (6.30pm)

Saturday
Carlisle United v Port Vale (12.30pm)
Exeter City v Southend United (12.30pm)
Grimsby Town v Bolton Wanderers (12.30pm)
Harrogate Town v Bradford City (12.30pm)
Leyton Orient v Barrow (12.30pm)
Morecambe v Oldham Athletic (12.30pm)
Newport County v Cambridge United (12.30pm)
Stevenage v Mansfield Town (12.30pm)
Tranmere Rovers v Salford City (12.30pm)
Colchester United v Walsall (5.30pm)

Match Reports

Report: Forest Green Rovers 3-2 Iron

17 April 2021

The Iron were defeated 3-2 at Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.

After the hosts took the lead following a dominant start, defender Harrison McGahey levelled the scores with his first senior career goal on the stroke of halt-time.

Then, early in the second period, Abo Eisa unleashed an effort from 20 yards to give his side the lead with his ninth goal of the season. However, Forest Green levelled the scores with 72 minutes played and then went ahead again in the 80th, after Rory Watson had saved a penalty.

The Iron made four changes going into the game, with Jordan Clarke, McGahey, Devarn Green and Eisa coming in for Teddy Howe, Jacob Bedeau, Lewis Spence and Myles Hippolyte.

Forest Green Rovers put the pressure on early on, and won an early corner as Aaron Collins challenged with Watson aerially.

Green’s clearance from the resultant corner was blocked before George Taft headed away a right-wing cross. The Iron soon won a goal kick following a double ricochet.

The hosts then won another early corner, which was dealt with by the Iron before Kane Wilson’s first cross was cleared by Mason O’Malley. He looked to have run the ball out of play but his second cross was blocked for a corner

That resultantly saw a superb save from Watson down to his right, as he thwarted Forest Green skipper Chris Stokes’ header, pushing the ball over the bar. The subsequent corner was then cleared away, before a long range shot was blocked by McGahey. The hosts then got the ball on the left with Karacan blocking the cross for another corner, which was headed away by Clarke.

With 13 minutes gone, Scunthorpe had their first chance of the afternoon when van Veen capitalised on a loose ball to send a powerful low effort across goal, but just wide of the goal from 25 yards.

Four minutes later, Clarke and Wilson went in for a 50-50 and it was Clarke who got a yellow card. Play continued and Collins sent one wide but the referee signalled a corner, which was cleared. Clarke didn't recover from it and was soon replaced by Bedeau.

Jordan Moore-Taylor headed the hosts into the lead following a cross from the right in the 21st minute.

The hosts threatened again soon after, and Taft got across to block a right-wing cross from Collins for another home corner. From it, Moore-Taylor came around the back and sent an effort wide of the target.

With 27 minutes gone, United put a neat move together and at the end of it O'Malley sent a left-wing cross in which tried to find John McAtee, but the home goalkeeper Luke McGee was equal to it.

A minute later, van Veen wanted a penalty as he was shoved to the ground inside the area after Taft sent a low cross into the box from the left. The referee remained unmoved though.

After a near miss where Scott Wagstaff almost connected with a left-wing cross but the ball thankfully couldn't be met from an Iron perspective, Collins’ long range effort was then blocked by Bedeau for a throw.

On 41 minutes, after winning a free-kick down the left side, van Veen then whipped a free-kick just onto the top of the netting from 25 yards.

Just before the break, the hosts broke down the right and Collins' powerful low drive across goal went just wide.

A minute into the four of stoppage time, Scunthorpe were level as Taft won a header from a corner, Gilliead recycled possession, Bedeau held the ball in the area, with McGahey sweeping home the equaliser.

At the start of the second-half, O’Malley regathered possession as the hosts cleared van Veen's free-kick to find the Dutchman again, with his long range shot going over the bar.

Then, two minutes later, McAtee stole in to win the ball, finding van Veen. His low cross towards the near post was cleared though.

Scunthorpe went ahead in the 52nd minute as Karacan won a free-kick on half-way and placed the ball. McGahey came across and pinged it quickly to Eisa, who took the ball down brilliantly before slotting into the corner from 20-yards.

Forest Green came forward to respond, and Adam’s long range shot was deflected wide for a corner.

In the 57th minute, McAtee got free on the left inside the box and looked to bend in a shot, with the effort blocked and then cleared for a throw.

Then, three minutes later, there was superb play from O’Malley as he read a quick counter-attack from the hosts to intercept as a through ball came in.

The hosts looked to press for a leveller, and Gilliead headed a corner clear before a follow-up cross was well gathered by Watson.

Forest Green levelled in the 72nd minute when Ebou Adams headed in from a left-wing free-kick.

The second Scunthorpe change of the afternoon was made a minute later, when Rowe came on for Green.

With 78 minutes played, Forest Green were given a penalty as replacement referee Dean Treleaven, who took over from Graham Salisbury after he came off moments before, controversially pointed to the spot for a foul on Adams in the area.

Watson dived to his left and saved the effort by Cadden with his feet, with the ball going down the middle.

However, from the subsequent corner, Chris Stokes bundled the ball home from close range after another superb save from Watson.

There was a triple Scunthorpe change with three minutes left, as Karacan was replaced by Harry Jessop, Spence came on for McAtee and O'Malley was swapped for Hippolyte.

Straight after, as Collins seized on a loose ball, Watson got down and made a brilliant tip around his left-hand post to prevent a fourth goal.

There were six minutes of time added on, and United pushed for a leveller but, caught on the break, Collins attacked down the right and drew another important save from Watson.

The Iron return to action on Tuesday night when they make the trip to face Mansfield Town (7pm kick-off).

FOREST GREEN: McGee, Wilson, Bernard, Stokes, Cargill, Adams, Collins (Davison, 90), Cadden, Moore-Taylor, Wagstaff (Richardson, 90), Godwin-Malife.

FOREST GREEN SUBS NOT USED: Thomas, Hutchinson, Allen, Bailey, Young.

IRON: Watson, Clarke (Bedeau, 19), Taft, McGahey, Gilliead, van Veen, Eisa, Green (Rowe, 73), Karacan (Jessop, 87), O'Malley (Hippolyte, 87), McAtee (Spence, 87).

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Collins, Pugh.