Duo rewarded for terrific first month

Forest Green’s Edwards and Stevens hoover up League Two awards for August

FOREST Green Rovers head into this afternoon’s Sky Bet League Two home fixture against Northampton Town buoyed by a double success for boss Rob Edwards and striker Matty Stevens in August’s divisional awards.

Edwards, on right, has earned the Manager of the Month award for August, while Stevens, on left, took the Player of the Month prize.

Forest Green began the 2021/22 campaign with four straight League Two wins against Sutton, Walsall,

Rochdale and Crawley, as well as knocking Championship side Bristol City out of the EFL Cup.

That form saw Edwards’ men net 13 times in the League in the first month of the season, five more than any other side in the division, with Stevens leading the scoring charts.

Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman, who was among the judging panel, said: “Rob Edwards’ side certainly set their stall out as August’s EFL entertainers, scoring 13 goals in their first four games.”

Stevens, meanwhile, struck five times in as many games at the start of the campaign, having not started a single game for the Gloucestershire club during the 2020/21 season.

Goodman added: “Stevens was the beneficiary of Forest Green Rovers’ attacking play in August. With Jamille Matt finding his goalscoring boots too, this Forest Green attack are sure to prove difficult to stop.”

Rovers have, in fact, failed to score in their last two games against Port Vale and Exeter, allowing Harrogate to take over at the top of the table.

They will attempt to come back to form against Northampton at the New Lawn this afternoon.