Vanarama Conference

Nuneaton 1

Forest Green 0

FOREST Green boss Ady Pennock isn’t pushing the panic button as his side fell to back-to-back Vanarama Conference defeats at struggling Nuneaton.

Under the caretaker management of Mark Noon after Brian Reid's sacking, Nuneaton pulled off a surprise thanks to substitute Jorrin John's strike from a swift counter-attack.

Luke Oliver thought he had snatched a point on 85 minutes when he met substitute Marcus Kelly's free-kick with a flicked header, but a stunning save from Charles-Cooke denied the tall defender his moment of glory.

Rovers have now gone five games without a win and taken just three points from a possible 15, but Pennock is refusing to be downbeat. Pennock said: “ I have plenty of faith in the squad and I am not pressing the panic button- we have a long way to go yet.”

Earlier, Clovis Kamdjo returned to the centre of midfield after a hamstring injury.

And Kamdjo started brightly by forcing Charles-Cooke to tip over the bar.

Nuneaton's Craig Curran saw an attempted lob land on the roof of Sam Russell's net after a cheeky back-heel by Andy Brown, while Charles-Cooke had to be alert at his near post again to clutch a James Norwood effort.

Rovers had a chance to break the deadlock on 26 minutes. The fleet-footed James Norwood fizzed wide from an Elliott Frear pass.

Norwood then turned provider with Frear forcing Charles-Cooke into a fine stop. .

The free-running Frear teed-up Jon Parkin, who shot straight at Charles-Cooke from eight yards.

The deadlock was broken when a Norwood corner was cleared for John to fizz past Russell.

The hosts almost made it two when Brown blasted into the side-netting.

Oliver almost snatched it on a frustrating night for Rovers.

Nuneaton Town: R. Charles-Cooke; T. Streete, E. Geogeghan, G. Dean, C. Franklin; J. Dyer, L. Fowler, A. Walker, R. Smith (J. John 69); A. Brown, C. Curran.

Subs not used: B. Starosta, J. Wren, R. Quinn, T. Waite.

Forest Green: S. Russell; D. Pipe, L. Oliver, D. Coles, C. Stokes; R. Sinclair (K. Guthrie 62), C. Kamdjo, S. Wedgbury, E. Frear (M. Kelly 83); J. Parkin, J. Norwood.

Subs not used: E. Oshodi, L. Rodgers, S. Arnold.

Referee: R. Johnson (Bolton).

Attendance: 789.

Star man: Sam Wedgbury.