Cooper: We wasted first 45 minutes
CAMBRIDGE UNITED .... 1 FOREST GREEN ROVERS 0
FOREST Green Rovers head coach Mark Cooper felt his side “wasted” the opening 45 minutes of their encounter with fellow promotioncontenders Cambridge.
Veteran Wes Hoolahan scored the only goal of the match after 38 minutes, with Paul Mullin seeing an earlier penalty saved by Rovers goalkeeper Lewis Thomas.
The result leaves Forest Green four points behind table-topping Cheltenham and three behind Cambridge. Third-placed Rovers are level with Tranmere, in fourth, and one point ahead of Bolton, who come to the New Lawn next weekend. Before then, Cooper’s side visit Mansfield.
Cooper told reporters: “I feel disappointed because we wasted 45 minutes and Cambridge were miles better than us.
“We changed personnel and shape at the break and we were a lot better in the second half.
“But we didn’t run and fight for 45 minutes. I’ll take the secondhalf performance, but for 45 minutes we didn’t turn up.
“We had four or five players who were nowhere near the level in terms of energy, maybe I got some selections wrong, but we were short on choices.”
Cambridge missed a terrific chance to go ahead on 18 minutes when Paul Mullin was brought down in the box by Baily Cargill, but Mullin’s penalty was turned onto the post by Thomas.
On 29 minutes it took a fine block to deny Hiram Boateng following Liam O’Neil’s incisive through ball, but seven minutes before half-time Cambridge finally did take the lead. Hoolahan, above, took Jack Iredale’s pass and skipped past Scott Wagstaff before firing low into the corner.
After the break, Callum Burton saved Aaron Collins’ effort on 64 minutes, and the Rovers front man also headed wide from six yards when left unmarked 20 minutes from the end.
Cambridge: Burton, Knoyle, Okedina, Taylor,
Iredale, Digby, O’Neil (Hannant 69), Boateng (May 76), Hoolahan, Mullin, Ironside (Tracey 76). Not Used: Drysdale, Dunk, Alese, Chadwick.
Booked: Ironside.
Goals: Hoolahan 38.
Forest Green: Thomas, Godwin-Malife (Allen 88), Stokes, Cargill, Wilson (Bailey 46), Bernard, Wagstaff (Hutchinson 66), Cadden (Young 66), Collins, Matt, Davison (Richardson 46). Not Used: McGee, Hallett. Booked: Wilson, Matt.
Referee: Marc Edwards (Durham).