Talking to fellow fans recently I have encountered too much negativity. This helps no one, especially now. The players need to know we are all behind them and I am sure the response of the crowd in the victory over Torquay was brilliant.

It makes me smile when I see the forum so quiet after a victory! I sometimes think a section of our fans like it when we lose. The doom and gloom merchants need to cheer up.

An October winning run would be wonderful and with this squad this is possible. Against Torquay they dug deep and earned three points against one of the  high-flyers.

With Clovis Kamdjo still suffering from a slight hamstring problem and Chris Stokes still suffering from an injury sustained against Barnet it was  Marcus Kelly who  moved to left- back. This was the first defensive change of the season and soon after the kick-off another change was needed. Luke Oliver came off with hamstring problems to be replaced by Eddie Oshodi. Torquay scored first and with another defeat looming the season seemed to be slipping away.

Ady and the team had other ideas. Volatile and vocal on the touchline manager Pennock exhorted his players to greater efforts. They responded and for the last hour of the game they were the better team.

Elliott Frear replaced Kelly wide on the left and had a fine game. Eddie and Marcus were initially shaky in defence but got better and better as the game went on. After the game both were praised by the manager and rightly so, but reluctant to pick out individual players Ady had justified praise for all the team.

Rightly so! After a slow start Rovers proved yet again they are more than a match for any team in the league.

The manager is consistent in his belief that this is a tough league. I agree completely. In watching Conference football for over 25 years the division has never been stronger.

The evidence for this is quite clear. There are more and more ex-league teams with a full- time set up.

They bring skill, organisation and an extra level of fitness. Teams that are promoted to the Conference struggle.

Cash rich Eastleigh being the single exception. Teams that are promoted never come back down. Crawley and Fleetwood have gone on to greater things.

The fact that no one is flying away with the title proves that there are many other fine teams aiming for the top.

One team may not be outstanding but so many more are so very good. The influx of foreign players to the football league means that good English players have had to move down a division or two in order to get a game.

The Conference has better players than ever before. We are not going to see teams coming to the New Lawn and giving an exhibition.

Our team will not let them. We are set up to stop them playing and that is what we do. Halifax and Torquay were well beaten and Barnet were matched. That injury time goal still rankles. After a hard earned point at Macclesfield on Saturday  a play-off position is within our grasp.

Ady is not one for making wholesale changes so we may not see some of our favourites as much as we like. In praising Eddie Oshodi for not moaning, training hard and waiting for his opportunity the manager could be speaking about many of his players. That is what those not currently selected must do and as I see it are doing.

Criticism of the manager for letting too many players go is not valid. Klukowski, Turley, Taylor and Hodgkiss were offered contracts they declined to sign, exercising their right to leave. Paul Green and Ed A/A were released. They could find employment only in lower leagues. Danny Wright had all last season to prove his first team worth. Good luck to him at Gateshead, but it is a speedy frigate we need, rather than a battleship. We have enough of those.

For that reason I would have kept Reece Styche. He would have been the ‘legs’ for Parkin and Hughes. Whether Christian Jolley is that frigate I am not yet sure, but we shall soon know. I believe he should be played out wide.

Finally, good luck to two former Forest Green stalwarts in the FA Cup on Saturday. Alex Sykes and John Evans take Shortwood to Bath City.

This is my last column for a few weeks as Mrs Light and I are heading for the Antipodes. See you in November.