Slimbridge 0 Forest Green Rovers 0

SLIMBRIDGE gave themselves a huge morale boost as they enter their Southern League Divison One South and West campaign this season by giving National League neighbours Forest Green Rovers a real run for their money on Saturday.

Slimbridge did more than avoid defeat to a full strength Forest Green squad. They matched their opponents, who were losing semi-finalists in last season’s Conference play-offs, man-for-man, and with a little luck, could have registered their first victory against Rovers since both sides started playing each other in the annual pre-season friendly.

New recruit Jonny Maxted, who was in the Forest Green goal after signing on Friday and was playing behind his defenders for the first time, made two superb stops in the first half from Sean Lawson, who along with Paul Fahy caused Forest Green problems all afternoon, and then an even better save from Adam Mace’s effort ten minutes before the interval.

With Forest Green switching their entire team on the hour mark, there was a danger that the fresh legs would start to tell.

They tried to get a goal and with the match reaching its climax, it looked possible that Rovers would finally find a way through.

Lawson again went close on 63 minutes, edging his effort just past the post, but Forest Green’s closest opening came on 83 minutes.

Great work by Elliot Frear saw the England C man feed Aaron O’Connor with a cross but the former Newport County striker could only direct his attempt inches past the post.

Another accurate Frear delivery followed minutes later, although the experienced Jon Parkin couldn’t hit the target with his side footed volley, towards the back post.

But it is a tribute to the pre-season efforts of all involved that the Swans did not flag at all for the whole 90 minutes and their pre-season fitness work stood them in good stead.

Lawson again went close on 63 minutes, edging his effort just past the post, while Forest Green’s big summer signing, striker Aaron O’Connor, was just wide for the visitors with six minutes remaining after good work from Elliott Freer.

But in the end, a Forest Green goal and possible victory would have been an injustice to the battling Swans, and the management team of Leon Sterling, Freddy Ward and to all of their players who can feel very proud of their contribution to an entertaining afternoon played out in front of a crowd of 300 fans.

Teams. Slimbridge: Evans, Turl, Brown, Rich Thwaite, Tunnicliff, Ward, Turner, Twyman, Lawson, Fahy, Mace

Subs Used: Blackie, Martin, Parrott, Freeman

Forest Green Rovers: Maxted, Bennett, Jennings, Bender, Racine, Sam-Yorke, Kamdjo, Sinclair, Gabbiadini, Moore, Guthrie, Pipe, Kelly, Baldwin, Jones, Marsh-Brown, Frear, Stokes, McGrory, O'Connor, Parkin, White