NATIONAL LEAGUE

FC HALIFAX TOWN 0

FOREST GREEN 2

FOREST Green remain hot on the coat tails of league leaders Cheltenham Town as goals from Jon Parkin and Elliott Frear saw Rovers produce some true grit in Yorkshire.

Earlier, all the pre-match rhetoric surrounded former boss Jim Harvey and his acrimonious split from Rovers back in 2009, but much football water has passed under the Forest Green bridge.

The robust David Pipe was a perfect fit for the one Rovers change as he took his place in the midfield engine room with Sam Wedgbury consigned to the stands following his red card at Wrexham.

The Shay playing surface was surprisingly in rude health despite three games in a week, and suited Harvey’s renowned free-flowing football.

FC Halifax, unbeaten in 13, started brightly with Rovers pegged back in the opening exchanges.

It took Rovers 13 minutes to post their first effort in anger –  Parkin nodding over from a Keanu Marsh-Brown cross and Darren Carter fizzing over from 25 yards.

Rovers were starting to up the ante – Carter trying his luck from distance and demanding a plunging save from Sam Johnson.

Forest Green’s Steve Arnold was enjoying a relatively quiet afternoon, but needed to be on his mettle to gather a Sam Walker free-kick.

Drama ensued on 18 minutes when Marsh-Brown’s free-kick saw Jennings floored in a AFC Halifax Town penalty box sandwich, involving Hamza Bencherif and Scott McManus and the referee pointed to the spot.

Parkin’s spot-kick was parried by Johnson, but Parkin was on hand to smash the free ball home with aplomb - handing Rovers a 19th-minute lead.

The penalty decision rattled the baying Shay crowd and they were calling for blood when Rovers survived two penalty let-offs within sixty-seconds.

Aarran Racine and David Pipe ruffled home feathers with challenges on Josh McDonald and Jordan Burrow respectively.

However, Rovers took the sting out of the game with a stunning 30th-minute second.

Rob Sinclair, who was catching the eye, released the scampering Marsh-Brown, who crossed with precision to find the supporting Elliott Frear, who finished with accuracy at the far-post.

Arnold did well to claw a Walker shot away as FC Halifax looked to find some hope before the break.

Rovers remained a threat on the break and Johnson did well to stand up to a Frear strike after Sinclair and Marsh-Brown made the running.

Harvey’s team put Rovers under the cosh in the early second half exchanges.

Backed by a vociferous home following, Parkin was bearing the brunt of the Shay fans frustration as he used his experience to frustrate the crowd and his opponents, but he finally saw yellow for a push on Bencherif.

Rovers remained solid at the back as they stifled the AFC Halifax attacking intent with Charlie Clough getting a vital block from a Jordan Burrow strike.

Sinclair, Rovers’ stand out player was close to making it 3-0 when his audacious 65th-minute lob dropped just over from a Dale Bennett long ball.

Parkin, the focus of the AFC Halifax fans’ anger throughout, left the field to a chorus of boos on 70 minutes with Kieffer Moore entering the fray.

Moore hit the ground running. He did well to bolt on to a Sinclair pass and hold the ball up well to find Carter who rattled the bar from the edge of the box.

Rovers’ touch play was a delight at times and sub Kurtis Guthrie brought renewed energy with a number of leggy runs.

Marsh-Brown was denied a stoppage-time goal with a fine block from Johnson.

Bennett and Connor Hughes were handed late yellow cards for a coming together as Rovers cruised to a comfortable win.

Forest Green: S Arnold, D Bennett, J Jennings, A Racine, C Clough, D Pipe (©), R Sinclair (B Williams 90), D Carter, J Parkin ( K Moore, 60), K Marsh-Brown E Frear (K Guthrie, 76 )

Subs not used: M Kelly, C Cooper.

Attendance:1,329 (FGR fans: 73 )

Star Man: Rob Sinclair. An energetic performance for the midfield dynamo in a new advanced role.