Sky Bet League Two
Cheltenham Town 0
Doidge 43
CHRISTIAN DOIDGE’S sumptuous strike earned Forest Green the derby day bragging rights to give Mark Cooper’s side a significant boost in their scramble to avoid the drop.
With Chesterfield losing at home to Mansfield and Barnet and Grimsby sharing the spoils, Rovers are edging towards League Two safety.
Scintillating Rovers posted their first win on the road in 14 attempts putting a six-point buffer above the bottom two, with just four games to play.
Angered by the defeat at Barnet last week and having lost five out of their last six, manager Cooper benched Dale Bennett, Dayle Grubb and Alex Bray.
Cooper drafted in Scott Laird, Reece Brown and Grimsby Town loanee Chris Clements, who took his place in the midfield engine room alongside Isaiah Osbourne with captain Lee Collins dropping into Bennett’s right-back spot.
Rovers opened on the front foot. Doidge was a toe from touching home an exquisite Scott Laird cross as Cheltenham struggled to find a foothold.
Cheltenham had the first shot of the game on 25 minutes – Carl Winchester drawing a routine save out of Brad Collins.
Rovers replied, Clements seeing his free-kick touched over the bar by the alert Scott Flinders with 32 minutes on the clock.
Chances remained scant but as Rovers retreated, Taylor Moore spanked one wide from the edge of the box with seven minutes of the half to go.
Gavin Gunning saw yellow for an ugly foul on Nigel Atangana on 39 minutes.
Cheltenham were making a late surge – Jerell Sellers driving a shot into the box that saw Grimes almost on the end of it.
Rovers stung Cheltenham on 43 minutes. Brown fed Reuben Reid and his clever ball allowed Doidge to run on and spank a sumptuous strike from the edge of the box, beating Flinders all ends up for his 22nd goal of the season.
Exuberant Forest Green fans entered the field of play to celebrate, resulting in a number of ejections from the stadium.
Rovers were at it from the second-half get-go. Clements released Reid and his ball into the box saw Reece Brown turn in the box and arrow a strike into Flinders.
Cheltenham dangerman Mo Eisia was struggling to make an impact and his frustration grew, going into the book for diving.
Gunning was a whisker from making it two for Rovers as his audacious flick dropped wide of the far post from a Brown free-kick.
It was end-to-end. Eisa brought the best out of Brad Collins as he turned a bouncing stinger from the Cheltenham striker on the hour.
Looking to change things, Cheltenham boss Gary Johnson ushered on former Forest Green striker Danny Wright.
Clements went into the book for a shirt tug.
Brown, head and shoulders the best player on the pitch, was afforded a standing ovation when he was replaced on 73 minutes by Grubb.
Cheltenham were going for broke – playing three up top. Rovers responded by bringing on speedster Bray.
Osbourne took a late booking for Rovers as they saw the game out.
Cheltenham Town (4-5-1) : Flinders; Moore, Rodon, Grimes, Chatzitheodoridis; Sellars (Andrews 84), Winchester, Atangana (Graham 70), Pell (Wright 68); Eisa
Forest Green (4-4-2) : B Collins; L Collins, Rawson, Hollis, Laird; Rawson, Clements (Bray 80), Osbourne, Brown (Grubb 73); Reid (Campbell 86), Doidge
Subs not used: Bennett, Bray, Simpson, Cooper
Attendance: 4,744
FGR fans: 765
Star Man: Reece Brown
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