FLITCROFT HAS EYE FOR BEAUTY
SWINDON manager David Flitcroft was delighted to see his side record back-to-back home victories for the first time this season.
A scrappy effort from Luke Norris 11 minutes from time was enough to grind out victory against a spirited Forest Green Rovers team led by former County Ground chief Mark Cooper.
“It was an ugly goal but a beautiful scoreline. We came in at half-time at 0-0. Forest Green never threatened us in the firsthalf and we felt really comfy at the back,” said Flitcroft.
“The game was really scrappy – a right wrestle – and neither side wanted to lose it.
“I thought we started to boss the game from the last 20 minutes of the first half and Reice (Charles-Cook) never really had a save to make.
“The goal was a strange one but Luke’s been doing that all season and can score all sorts of goals.”
Meanwhile, Forest Green boss Cooper wryly chose to sarcastically berate Christian Doidge, rather than the officials, after the striker saw two penalty appears turned down.
Cooper, with tongue in cheek, said: “Twice Christian has got free in the box and he’s dived. There was obviously no-one around him and he’s dived both times!
“Both times he was through on goal with no-one in front of him and he hasn’t taken any contact and he’s dived!
“Unfortunately, when you’re down at the wrong end of the table, you don't get these things going in your favour.
“I can’t fault the effort that the players have put in out there. We’ve just lacked a bit of quality and good fortune in front of goal and conceded a scrappy goal at the back.”
Norris has the first chance of the game in the 20th minute, his low effort from Kaiyne Woolery’s cross saved by Bradley Collins.
There was a lengthy stoppage midway through the first half when Rovers’ Farrend Rawson was knocked out following an accidental clash of heads.
The defender was treated for several minutes before being stretchered off and taken straight to hospital, resulting in an additional six minutes being added on before the break.
In the fourth of these added minutes, Swindon debutant Ollie Banks’ shot from the edge of the area was tipped around the post for a corner by Collins.
Doidge’s shot on the turn from the edge of the area was easily saved by Reice Charles-Cook early in the second period.
Then, Rovers were denied what looked like a definite penalty when Doidge managed to get in behind before going down under pressure from Matt Preston.
But late in the day, Norris grabbed the only goal of the game, poking in from a yard out following an almighty goalmouth scramble after Collins had saved a Keshi Anderson effort. SWINDON (3-5-2): Charles-Cook 6, Lancashire 7, Robertson 6, Preston 5, Knoyle 5 (Gordon 77 4), Anderson 6 (Purkiss 83 4), Dunne 5, Banks 6, Iandolo 5, Norris 6, Woolery 6 (Mullin 76 5) Subs not used: Goddard, Brophy, Henry, Taylor FOREST GREEN (3-5-2): Collins 6, Rawson 5 (Laird 28 6), Gunning 5, Hollis 5, Wishart 6 (Whittle 88 N/A), Osbourne 6, Grubb 6 (Marsh-Browne 74 5), Collins 5, Monthe 5, Doidge 7, Reid 6 Subs not used: Brown, Simpson, Pickering, Spurrier