Doidge would have had five, complains Cooper
FOREST Green manager Mark Cooper believes his former striker Christian Doidge “would have scored five” in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Morecambe at the New Lawn, writes Robert Iles.
Rovers started the game well and could have taken the lead in the first minute, with Carl Winchester firing just over the Morecambe goal straight from kick-off.
Numerous chances followed for the home side, particularly in the first half, with George Williams seeing his goalbound effort cleared off the line after an impressive Theo Archibald cross.
But Forest Green would be left to pay for these missed opportunities, with Morecambe captain Aaron Wildig smashing home from a few yards out in the 86th minute following a deflection.
This left home supporters and the boss frustrated with the result after having so many chances throughout the game and Cooper admitted the reason why they lost “is simple”.
“We didn’t score, despite making all the possession,” he said. “We had all the territory, we got into great forward positions, but if your forward players don’t produce, then you can’t win a game, simple as that.
“If your players, and I don’t just mean your centre-forwards, your wide players as well, your attacking midfield players, if they don’t get in the box and produce that bit of quality that gets you a goal, then you can’t win.
“They got a little bit of luck by a mis-hit shot and our lads have gone to cover where they thought it was going to go, but he’s mis-hit it to the six-yard box and their lad was left unmarked.
“I could feel it coming because we’d played quite well without hurting them really.
“If you don’t score and put them under pressure, you always miss the chance to not get out.”
Cooper started with Reuben Reid as the sole striker and brought on Tahvon Campbell to partner the 30-year-old, but was not impressed with their desire to get on the end of a cross.
“Twice the ball has come into the box and twice our strikers are outside the box,” he said. “So if you can’t score, you can’t win a game.
“You’ve got to have people that are desperate to get on the end of a cross, but it’s not all about looking good, getting the ball and pulling off a turn, get in the box.
“Christian Doidge (the Rovers striker on loan at Bolton) would have scored five today, just by throwing himself in the six-yard box and that’s where we’re lacking at the minute.”
With the January transfer window around the corner, Cooper went on to discuss a potential new striker arriving to compete with the likes of Reid and Campbell.
“There’s no hiding the fact we need another forward,” he said.
“We need another forward to give us that impetus so that when we’re dominating games like today, we go and finish it off.
“As a coach, I can’t really do any more because I’ve got the players exactly where I want them in the final third of the pitch, putting balls into the box and now it’s down to them, they’ve got to produce.”
Rovers now look to their midweek FA Cup replay with League One side Oxford United after a respectable 0-0 draw at the Kassam Stadium last Saturday.