Forest Green Rovers secured a slender 1-0 victory against National League newcomers Hornchurch in what was the first encounter between the two sides. The decisive moment came early in the match, with Ricardo Rees scoring in the eighth minute. The goal originated from Sean Etaluku’s impressive run down the left flank, delivering a precise cross to Rees whose strike took a fortunate deflection before finding the back of the net.
Hornchurch, who entered the match in excellent form with four wins from their previous five games, came close to equalising late on. In the 87th minute, Forest Green’s goalkeeper Ethan Ross made a superb save to deny Sam Ling’s effort. Meanwhile, at the other end, Hornchurch’s keeper Arthur Nasta also showcased his abilities with a notable stop.
Despite Hornchurch’s persistent pressure towards the end, Forest Green managed to maintain their lead and claim a hard-fought victory.