Ball makes a winning start with Forest Green

INTERIM head coach Jimmy Ball got his Forest Green Rovers tenure off to a flying start as goals from Jordan Moore-Taylor, Ebou Adams, and Chris Stokes saw the Green Devils end a four-game losing run with a thrilling win over Scunthorpe at the New Lawn.

Ball, the son of 1966 England World Cup winner Alan, replaced the sacked Mark Cooper at the start of the week, and the new man saw his rejuvenated Rovers earn ten corners in the opening 20 minutes as they took the game to the Iron.

Scunthorpe goalkeeper Rory Watson miraculously denied Stokes the opener – palming the ball off his line from Nicky Cadden’s corner.

However, Rovers eventually got their noses in front on 21 minutes as Moore-Taylor nodded in from an Adams’ cross.

Harrison McGahey levelled for Scunthorpe on the cusp of the break, though, drilling the ball beyond Luke McGee.

Abo Eisa then put the Iron ahead after 52 minutes, blasting the ball into the bottom of McGee’s net from just inside the box.

Forest Green restored parity after 72 minutes, however, as Cadden’s free-kick glanced in off the unmarked Adams’ head.

Cadden fluffed his lines from the penalty spot with 11 minutes to go after Adams was fouled by Jacob

FOREST GREEN ROVERS 3 SCUNTHORPE UNITED ... 2

Bedeau, but a minute later Rovers regained the lead – captain Stokes poking the ball through a crowded goalmouth.

Ball, the third generation of his family to take charge of a team in a Football League match, admitted afterwards: “I’m sad that Mark Cooper lost his job – he’s a good man, but now I’ve been given an opportunity and have to take it.

“The club is about the future, the ethos is about the future, but I can’t think like that at the moment.

“I’ve got to think about three points, winning games of football and giving this club the chance to be where it wants to be, which is at the top of this League and being extremely competitive, and if not here, then in League One.”

Forest Green lie five points off the automatic promotion places with five matches to play, one more than most of the teams above them. Forest Green: McGee, Godwin-Malife, Stokes,

Cargill, Wilson, Bernard, Moore-Taylor, Cadden, Wagstaff (Richardson 90), Adams, Collins (Davison 90). Not Used: Hutchinson, Allen, Bailey, Young, Thomas. Booked: Wilson, Bernard.

Goals: Moore-Taylor 21, Adams 72, Stokes 80. Scunthorpe: Watson, Clarke (Bedeau 19), McGahey, Taft, Green (Rowe 73), Gilliead, Karacan (Jessop 87), Mcatee (Spence 87), O’Malley (Hippolyte 88), Eisa, van Veen. Not Used: Pugh, Collins.

Booked: Clarke, Karacan, Gilliead.

Goals: McGahey 45, Eisa 52.

Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire).