Forest Green Rovers manager Robbie Savage praised his team’s performance following their 3-1 victory over Gateshead at The New Lawn on Saturday. The win marks Forest Green’s fourth consecutive league triumph, propelling them to the top of the table and bolstering their title ambitions.
Goals from Jili Buyabu, Temi Babalola, and Jayden Clarke sealed the result, showcasing the team’s clinical finishing in front of goal.
Savage highlighted the importance of converting chances, saying, “We need to be more clinical and ruthless with the opportunities this team creates. We had 30 shots recently, and again tonight against ten men, the effort from this group leaves me speechless.”
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Buyabu opened the scoring just after the 10-minute mark when Jayden Clarke’s shot was deflected by the goalkeeper, leaving Buyabu with a simple finish at the back post. Savage applauded Buyabu’s tireless work rate throughout the match: “He was exhausted but performed brilliantly. It’s a testament to our squad depth that we could refresh both full-backs in the 65th minute.”
Temi Babalola doubled the lead in the 25th minute, continuing his fine form with a diving header set up by Nick Haughton. The towering forward’s presence was pivotal in breaking down the Gateshead defense.
Closing out a dominant first half, Clarke scored the third goal just before halftime. Breaking through on a perfect ball from Kyle McAllister, Clarke finished confidently despite being held by a defender. Reflecting on the goal, Clarke revealed, “I stayed strong because I wanted to score rather than go down and risk getting the defender sent off.”
Key to Forest Green’s resilience was goalkeeper Harry Isted’s outstanding first-half display. Savage enthused, “Harry made some unbelievable saves in the first half. Despite being 3-0 up, those stops were crucial. He’ll be disappointed about conceding at the end, but his performance was top class.”
Nick Haughton also stood out, earning his first start since September and battling through illness to influence play significantly. Savage noted, “Nick was outstanding today. He’s had a cold all week but was determined to play after his recent showing.”
Although Gateshead goalkeeper Tiernan Brooks kept his team in the game with a series of excellent saves in the second half, Forest Green should have extended their advantage further. Savage lamented missed chances, “We should have scored eight, nine, or ten today, but their keeper was excellent. They defended well, but we must improve our finishing.”
Gateshead pulled a consolation goal in injury time when player-assistant manager Jacob Butterfield launched a 30-yard shot that beat Isted, denying the keeper his first clean sheet for the club.
The victory sees Forest Green Rovers top of the table as they continue their push for promotion, with Savage convinced of their potential in a competitive title race.
Forest Green Rovers lineup:
Isted; Knowles (Pemberton 68), Mendy, Kanu, Buyabu (Kengni 68); Bunker; McAllister (Dausch 81), Haughton (Moore 73), Whitwell, Clarke; Babalola (Doidge 81). Subs not used: Pagel, Bamba.
Gateshead lineup:
Brooks; John, Williams, Melbourne (Lowely 89), Ferguson; Home, Edwards (Gettins 79); Adom (Telford 79), Butterfield, Chapman (Bone 89); Pennant (Hurst 59). Subs not used: Leech, Fitzhugh.
Referee: Harrison Blair
Attendance: 2,386 (40 away)