Stevenage claimed a first league victory over Forest Green as they overcame the Nailsworth side 3-0 on Tuesday night, writes Sam Wiles.

After an outstanding performance against Colchester on Saturday, Rovers slipped down to third in the League Two standings.

Two first half Danny Newton goals and a sixth of the season for top-scorer Elliot List condemned Rovers to their seventh league defeat of the season.

Forest Green manager Mark Cooper was left ruing his side’s missed opportunities after the game as he spoke to BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

He said: “They took their chances and we didn’t take ours, simple as that.

“We had good control of the game and started really well; we had a couple of great chances that we smashed over the bar again 1v1 that we have score.

“We wouldn’t have scored if we’d been there all night, we had lots of strikers on the pitch but no quality.”

It seemed as though Rovers were unfortunate to not be awarded a string of penalties during the contest and Cooper voiced his frustration on the matter.

“We had two clear penalties that we didn’t get for some reason,” he added. “It was a blatant penalty on Aaron Collins and a blatant penalty on Elliott Whitehouse when he goes to side foot the ball in from six-yards, he’s nearly snapped in half.”

After being in the wars during the game, Baily Cargill was replaced in the second half by academy scholar Luke Hallett but Cooper insisted his defender’s clashes shouldn’t be too much of a concern.

He said: “He just had a clash of heads towards the end, I don’t think there was any concussion.

“He got one elbow in the face and then a clash of heads in the end so he’ll look like the Elephant Man tomorrow probably but never mind.”

Rovers also looked as though they could have done with the return of Chris Stokes and Nicky Cadden who are both side lined but Cooper admitted he is unsure as to whether they will return for Saturday’s game.

“I don’t know yet (if they will be fit for the weekend),” he said. “We’ll have to see tomorrow and Thursday.”

On Saturday, Forest Green face a trip to Grimsby Town who currently sit at the bottom of the League Two table (kick off 3pm).