Consistency vital for success - Forest Green boss

TABLE-TOPPING Forest Green Rovers will be looking to follow up last Saturday’s 4-1 win at Stevenage when they welcome Tranmere Rovers to the New Lawn in League Two this afternoon (3pm).

Asked this week how he will go about achieving that, head coach Rob Edwards said: “We just have to prepare in the same way. We treat every game the same. We’ve spoken a few times recently about how not having a Tuesday night game can help with our preparation. It allows us to have a real routine with our work. We can focus on the in and out of possession stuff on a Tuesday and Thursday and then bring that all together for the Friday.

“We’ve had a very similar week to what we had last week. It’s about being consistent in our work on a daily basis and then hopefully we can be consistent with performances.”

Quizzed for his thoughts on oppoenents, who have two wins in their last three games, Edwards replied: “Micky (Mellon - Tranmere manager) will say himself that they should’ve scored more goals than they have. They’ve created some good chances in their games. Micky’s a really experienced coach and somebody I know quite well and have a lot of respect for. He’s had lots of success in his managerial career and I know he’ll continue to do that.

“They’re very well-organised and a tough unit to break down. Their goals against column is very good. They have some good experience;

Peter Clarke is somebody who I went to the National School with - he was the year above me and he’s still going strong and looking as good as ever. From an attacking point of view, I think Micky was pleased with them in their last game having listened to his interview - it was a good performance against Salford. (2-0 win)

“They were on the front foot and aggressive, (Callum) McManaman and (Josh) Cogley looked dangerous on the right side and (Elliott) Nevitt got his first goal. They have forward runs from midfield with (Sam) Foley and Jay Spearing is eligible after they overturned his sending off.”

Edwards did not start Ebou Adams at Stevenage and when asked what that said about competition for places, he answered: “We have some really good footballers at this club and I’m lucky to be working with them. They all work extremely hard and that means I have to make some difficult decisions. I just felt like with who we were coming up against it was the right decision to make. I spoke to the lads a few weeks back and I said there will be a right time to change a winning team, so it’s something that we’ll do at some stage, and we’ll wait and see whether we do it this weekend.”

Edwards also said Jamille Matt was recovering well from a dead leg and added: “Baily (Cargill) trained which is really good news. He got through the session with no worries at all. Apart from obviously Dokes (Udoka Godwin-Malife), we have a lot to choose from.”