SKYBET LEAGUE TWO

Forest Green Rovers 1

Reid 70

Crawley Town 0

REUBEN Reid’s fourth goal of the season handed unbeaten Forest Green their first home win.

Reid pounced with 20 minutes to go, propelling Mark Cooper’s side up to seventh in the embryonic play-off places.

On a bad day for Crawley, sub Joe McNerney saw red in stoppage time for a late lunge on George Williams.

After a long running kit supply fiasco, Rovers were forced to don a light blue kit for the opening eight games, accumulating six draws and two wins from eight games, but sporting their new eco-friendly PlayerLayer kit for the first time, they deservedly took the spoils.

Cooper made one change – Tahvon Campbell given the chance to partner Reid up front, replacing Dayle Grubb (back).

From the get-go Campbell was into his stride, finding Joseph Mills, who drew a plunging response from Glenn Morris.

Crawley, boosted by the recent managerial arrival of flamboyant Italian Gabriele Cioffi, replied – Panutche Camara swiftly rolled in Ollie Palmer, but Robert Sanchez got down well to parry, with Ashley Nathaniel-George clipping the free ball off Sanchez, when scoring looked the easier option.

It was nip and tuck – Sanchez touching a Filipe Morais stinger around the post and Reuben Reid delicately floating one over the bar.

Rovers were knocking on the Crawley door – Reid and LIoyd James exchanging passes to leave James a smidge from giving his side the opener.

James fluffed a sitter on the cusp of the break – lifting his shot high wide and not very handsome as Reid presented him an early Christmas present.

Rovers opened the second-half with intent. Carl Winchester finding captain Reece Brown who watched his skidder from outside the box, which saw Morris chuck out a long lever to touch wide.

Campbell felt he had given his side the lead on 58 minutes. Morris scooped the ball off the line with Campbell claiming the ball had crossed the line.

Brown fizzed one over as Rovers upped the ante.

The goal Rovers had been threatening arrived with 20 minutes to go. Reid’s delicate feet saw the big man create space and his strike flew in via a deflection. Moments later Mills spanked the crossbar from 25 yards as Rovers cranked it up.

Shephard should have wrapped things up with eight minutes remaining but got his legs in a tangle as he shaped to shoot from a sweeping cross from the speedy Mills.

In the dying embers of the game sub Williams was thwarted by Morris and minutes later McNerney saw red for a lunge on Williams.

Rovers are now the only unbeaten side in League Two.

Player ratings out of 10

Forest Green (3-5-2) Sanchez 6; Digby 7, McGinley 7, Gunning 6; Shephard 7, Brown 7 ( Worthington 90), James 7, Mills 7, Winchester 6; Reid 7, Campbell 7 (Williams 67, 7)

Bookings: Campbell 60, Mills 73, Brown 84

Subs not used: Thomas (GK), Collins, Pearce, Morris, Archibald

Crawley Town: Morris, Young, Connolly (McNerney 14), Palmer, Francomb, Nathaniel-George (Poleon 77), Maguire, Bulman (Gambin 54), Morais, Camara, N’Gala

Bookings: Conolly 14, Camara 28, Palmer 82, McNerney 84

Red cards: McNerney 93

Subs not used: Mersin, Doherty, Payne

Attendance: 2, 089

Away fans: 147

Referee: T Nield

Star Man: Paul Digby

Next up: Rovers travel to Macclesfield next Saturday, 3pm.