Magical Madjo gets Forest Green on a roll (From Gazette Series)

Magical Madjo gets Forest Green on a roll

FOREST GREEN ROVERS remained unbeaten throughout the festive period to stretch their run of games without defeat to five.

Having beaten Burton Albion in the league and Weymouth in the FA Trophy in the run-up to Christmas, Gary Owers' side beat Aldershot Town at The Lawn between two drawn games with Hereford United.

Owers told the Gazette that the results were merited by the performances from his side.

He said: "The same players are out there - we have just been that little bit more consistent throughout the 90 minutes.

"The penny has dropped and we are doing things as we should - and that is all I have ever asked."

The 4-2 win over Aldershot on New Year's Eve was Rovers' most impressive victory of the campaign.

Julian Alsop's flick header and Paul Wanless' spectacular scissors kick put Forest Green 2-0 up as early as the tenth minute.

Tim Sills pulled a goal back for Town on the stroke of half-time but the goal merely spurred the home side on in the second half.

Guy Madjo made it 3-1 early in the second half before a floodlight failure threatened to ruin the afternoon.

Power was restored 15 minutes later though and Rovers continued to press.

With a little under 20 minutes to go, Madjo struck his second of the afternoon to make the game safe.

Safe from Aldershot at least but not from the National Grid, as the lights went out once again.

The players returned after a 25-minute delay with the threat of abandonment should the lights go out once more.

Luckily, the only remaining gloom came in the form of a missed Madjo penalty in the 90th minute and a stoppage time consolation strike from Aldershot's Hassan Sulaiman that made the final score 4-2.

Owers said: "It was the best result of our season so far and it could have easily been more.

"If the penalty went in then the game would probably have finished 5-1 instead of 4-2."

On Monday, Forest Green secured their eighth point from the last four league games with a solid draw at Boxing Day visitors Hereford.

Adam Stansfield gave the home side a half-time lead but Madjo kept up his fine goalscoring run to earn his side a share of the points.

Damon Searle got free down the left and his cross was steered into the net by Madjo for the equaliser.

Owers added: "We have got the confidence to come back at teams now and that comes with hard work and putting a run together."

Forest Green will hope to continue their fine form tomorrow, when they go to Cambridge United, the side they beat on the opening day of the season.

However, Owers has one eye on the next few months.

He said: "From now until March we have got to into games thinking we can win, especially at home."

Most of Rovers' games against teams in the bottom half of the table are at The Lawn and the manager is aware of how important those matches are.

Owers added: "We cannot let those teams that are around us beat us.

"Everyone knows how important each game is."

One thing Owers is unsure of at the moment is who will be fighting for the cause. Both Madjo and midfielder Ben Harding are nearing the end of their loan spells and Owers is desperately keen to retain the services of both players.

He said: "We are trying everything we can to keep Guy for another month and the same goes for Ben.

"We worked our socks off to get him in from Milton Keynes Dons and we don't want to lose him."

l Forest Green's game at Cambridge tomorrow is a 3pm kick-off.