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GAME DETAILS
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Western League Division One
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Attendance: 200
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| Pre-season friendly, Slimbridge impress but Forest Green win it with three first half goals.
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gashead eric
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Slimbridge AFC
0
vs
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Forest Green Rovers
3
Date: 17/07/2013 7:45 pm Attendance: 175 Venue: Wisloe Road
Three first half goals earn Slimbridge win
Slimbridge AFC Away
Forest Green made it four wins from four pre-season games at Western League newcomers Slimbridge as they prepare for the visit of Bristol City on Saturday, writes Richard Joyce.
Three first half goals helped Rovers to victory in a decent work out at a welcoming Wisloe Road that also saw David Hockaday’s side earn a fourth consecutive clean sheet.
Saul Williams was handed a starting berth at right back, returning to the club where he spent a short period of time on loan last season, while three of Scott Bartlett’s youth team squad, twins Dan and Joe Martin plus defender Scott Bevan earned time on the pitch near the end.
Anthony Barry notched his first for Rovers with the opener and Ben Wright had an easy finish to earn himself a place on the score sheet while James Norwood’s exquisitely placed strike wrapped up a trio of first half goals.
A promising sight for Rovers supporters before kick-off was of Aarran Racine’s progress on return from injury as he underwent a light pre-match warm up but Kieron Forbes, Stephen Brogan and Reece Styche were still reduced to a seat in the stand on a night where Rovers elected to rest a number of regulars.
Paul Green and Eddie Oshodi teamed up as Rovers two centre backs and the two combined five minutes in for a first opportunity on goal which saw former Watford man Oshodi head wide from Green’s lofted cross.
As expected, Rovers dominated possession, but they did little with it until a break from the left just before the half hour mark saw Barry power in a terrific strike to put his side a goal up.
Minutes later and Rovers lead was doubled as an unfortunate mistake by Slimbridge keeper Dave Evans handed Wright the simplest of opportunities and he stroked in.
Evans made up for his error with a superb block shortly after to deny Norwood who had broken down the left but he couldn’t stop the lively 22 year old from netting Rovers third and final goal on the stroke of half time.
A classy move saw Wright ship a ball to the left hand side and Norwood guided a terrifically placed effort into the back of the net.
The second half lacked the fluidity that could be seen in bunches during the first period but Evans was still called upon to make two key stops for the home side.
He firstly managed to bundle Ed Asafu-Adjaye’s long distance drive away and then palmed a stinging edge of the box effort from an unnamed trialist out for a corner.
The Swans shot-stopper was nearly beaten minutes later when Omar Koroma’s header from an Oshodi forward ball cannoned off the crossbar while Norwood’s header from a Wright corner, which did find the net, was ruled out by referee Lee Sheridan.
Danny Wright, introduced from off the bench midway through the half, provided some real strength in the forward areas and his powerful shot was well stopped by Evans with quarter of an hour to go.
It was another Rovers substitute in the shape of 17 year old Dan Martin who could have clinched a fourth late on as he did well to knock an effort towards goal, but the three first half goals remained the difference between the two teams as Rovers look forward to a return to home soil for the visit of Bristol City on Saturday.
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Cotswoldstokie
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Pre-season friendly, Slimbridge impress but Forest Green win it with three first half goals.
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