Forest Green Rovers manager proudly declared his side the “best team in Gloucestershire” following their emphatic 6-2 victory over Bishop’s Cleeve in the GFA Senior Challenge Cup final at The New Lawn on Tuesday evening.
Despite the manager’s light-hearted admission of not having previously won the County Cup himself, he credited his team’s young talent alongside the senior players for the resounding success. “Yan, Josh, and the young kids have done well before, but tonight the senior players really stepped up,” he remarked. “Both teams played with great spirit and Bishop’s Cleeve showed what a brilliant club they are, with first-class management.”
The match kicked off with Forest Green’s Christian Doidge opening the scoring after a precise free kick from Bunker deceived the defense, allowing Doidge to tap the ball past the goalkeeper. Bishop’s Cleeve responded strongly, equalizing in the 26th minute through Ross Langworthy’s powerful header.
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Forest Green’s captain for the evening, Tate Campbell, restored the lead with a curling strike into the top corner before halftime. The visitors then surged ahead in injury time, with Doidge assisting Temi Babalola’s fierce finish, followed quickly by Kairo Mitchell’s deflected shot that extended their lead to four goals.
Although Stephan Walsh surged close to a fifth with a long-range effort rattling the crossbar immediately after half-time, it was Cian Harries who scored next from a well-rehearsed free kick routine, drilling the ball into the bottom corner. Mitchell then completed his brace, netting another precise curling shot to the top right corner.
Bishop’s Cleeve managed a late consolation penalty by Noah Rubio, but it was insufficient to stem Forest Green’s dominance. Despite the loss, Bishop’s Cleeve manager Paul Collicutt praised his team’s effort and viewed the experience positively, confident they can improve ahead of upcoming matches.
The final line-ups saw strong performances across the pitch, notably from young players such as Stevie Walsh and Thomas Conteh, who injected energy after coming on at halftime. The match was officiated by referee Adam McAnoy, with an attendance of 294 fans witnessing the thrilling encounter.
Forest Green’s emphatic win cements their status as a powerhouse in Gloucestershire football, delivering an exciting display of skill, teamwork, and resilience.