GUISELEY 0

FOREST GREEN 1

FOREST GREEN toasted Grand National Day by getting back on the horse at Guiseley.

Thoroughbred hot-shot striker Christian Doidge gave his side the whip hand as he claimed his 24th goal of the season.

With five matches of the regular season to go, boss Cooper insists his side have one more hurdle on the final straight to rubber-stamp a place in the play-offs.

Cooper said: “We have to make sure we get enough points to get in the play-offs and that puts us on 79. I think we need another win to make sure, and anything after that, we will see where it takes us.”

 Doidge made it 16 goals from his last 17 matches to bring an end to Rovers’ two-game losing sequence against a Guiseley side who were reduced to ten men after Jake Cassidy was handed his marching in the second-half.

Earlier, boss Mark Cooper made four changes to the team that lost to lowly North Ferriby. Out went Rob Sinclair (back), Marcus Kelly, Fabien Robert and Jake Gosling. Injury robbed Rovers off captain Liam Noble (ankle) Ethan Pinnock (knee) Keanu Marsh-Brown (knee) and Sam Wedgbury (hamstring).

Playing a back three, Rovers switched from their possession-based football to a quicker ball game in the hope of picking out the robust Shamir Mullings alongside Doidge.

Rovers huffed and puffed - springing into life – Mullings fizzing wide after smart thinking Omar Bugiel carved an opening. Tails up – Bugiel smacked a shot from the edge of the box to demand a plunging save from former Forest Green keeper Jonny Maxted.

Guiseley responded – Will Hatfield testing Sam Russell from distance after a driving run from speedster Derek Asamoah.

The Yorkshire outfit were finding their feet, but lacking accuracy as Jake Cassidy flashed over.

Rovers’ forceful play handed them a confidence boosting 26th-minute lead.

A direct passing movement saw Charlie Cooper clip a sumptuous ball out to the lurking Dan Wishart and his header into the box was met by Doidge, who planted a header across and beyond the groping Maxted for his 24th goal of the season.

Rovers had an early shout for a second-half penalty when Mullings powered into the box and his cross appeared to hit the hand of Danny Lowe.

But it was Guiseley who were spitting feathers when Cassidy was shown a straight 55th-minute red card as Rovers' Mark Ellis fell to the ground following a challenge in the air.

And Rovers took advantage of the numerical advantage – Bugiel spanking wide. But the Yorkshire side showed grit – Hatfield spanking wide from 25 yards.

A brave punch from Maxted snuffed out a Doidge header from a Dale Bennett cross, with Rovers passing the ball with swagger.

Guiseley pressed in the dying embers, but Rovers hung on to return to winning ways.

And they should have made it two when Doidge and sub-Fabien Robert opened Guiseley up, but Cooper flashed his strike wide with just Maxted to beat.

FOREST GREEN: ( 3-5-2) Russell 7, Monthe 7, Tilt 7, Ellis 8; Traore 7 (Carter 6, 76), Cooper 7; Bennett 7, Whishart 7; Bugiel 7 (Robert 6, 70); Doidge 7, Mullings 7 (Woolery 6, 78).

Subs not used: Gosling, Kelly.

Attendance: 760

Star Man: Mark Ellis

Final five

Tranmere v Forest Green, Tuesday, April 11, 7.45pm.

Forest Green v Chester, Friday, April 14, 3pm.

Southport v Forest Green, Monday, April 17, 3pm.

Forest Green v Maidstone United, Saturday, April 22, 3pm.

York City v Forest Green, Saturday, April 29, 12.15pm.