FOREST Green Rovers manager Ady Pennock has congratulated Vanarama National League champions Cheltenham Town and insisted he wants to make it a Gloucestershire promotion double this season.

Winless in seven matches, Rovers are going to need to find some form in the play-offs after Woking staged a late show on Saturday to come from behind against Forest Green and bag three points for the first time since January via an injury time Cameron Norman goal.

Woking won 2-1 at The New Lawn while Cheltenham were taking the title.

Pennock was magnanimous, however, and said: “You’ve got to give Cheltenham credit and Gary Johnson has done a great job and they have had a fantastic season. It has been exciting.

“Both sides come from Gloucestershire and it’s great to have the two best teams in the National League coming from this area.”

The former Stoke City coach feels his side have made significant progress in his two full seasons at the New Lawn and he now wants a trip to Wembley and win promotion in the play-off final.

Forest Green face Halifax at The New Lawn on Saturday and one win will secure second place and a Wednesday May 4 date away at the fifth placed side in the table, which is currently occupied by Braintree but, in a super-tight contest, it may also end up by being a trip to Grimsby Town, who are in fourth spot but just two points ahead of Braintree.

Forest Green may, alternatively, find themselves at Eastleigh, who are sixth but only a point behind Braintree and also, crucially, with a game in hand on the Essex side.

And seventh-placed Tranmere also have the slightest of chances of making the promotion race, standing just three points off the play-off qualification zone.

Forest Green, though, need to win on Saturday as, otherwise, they will have to travel to Dover in the last match of the season with a winner-take-all shoot-out for second spot on Saturday April 30.

Pennock added: “The carrot is Wembley. I have been twice as a player and coach, so the carrot is huge and for us to go to Wembley, would be a fantastic achievement.” The second leg of the semi-final, if Forest Green finish in second, will be at The New Lawn on Saturday May 7 with a late kick-off time of 7.30pm.

The final is then being played at Wembley on Sunday May 15 with a 4pm kick-off.

However, Pennock is not happy about the current New Lawn pitch. He said: “The pitch is a disgrace. We haven’t had a groundsman for the last month. I will have to get back on the grass and actually roll it better.”