New Lawn Tuesday, August 5th, 2014   1st Team Friendly Attendance: 1,748         Forest Green Rovers 4-6 Arsenal
2014 /15

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A youthful side from Premier League giants Arsenal came out on top at The New Lawn in Forest Green's final pre-season friendly ahead of the start of the Vanarama Conference season, writes Richard Joyce. The Gunners stars of the future were in full force, and they didn't disappoint in a spectacular pre-season tie which saw Ady Pennock test his side one last time ahead of this Saturday's league opener against Southport. After Rovers went in ahead at the break, seven second half goals, with three coming in the final ten minutes alone, wrapped up a marvellous evening of entertainment in front of a large crowd. At no point did either side lead by more than two goals up until the last six minutes and it was a brace from James Norwood in the first period, either side of Ainsley Maitland-Niles strike, which handed FGR the advantage at half time. Arsenal's exciting young brand of talent made their mark in the second half as Rovers attentions turned to Saturday's trip to Merseyside. Isaac Hayden found the net twice while young substitute, Daniel Crowley, came off the bench to pull the strings and to blast home a thunderbolt of a strike. There were plenty of changes in the Rovers starting line up following Saturday's defeat to Crystal Palace. Danny Wright, Luke Rodgers and Chris Stokes were among the names given their last chance to force their way into Pennock's squad on Saturday. It was Wright's shot that was deflected for a corner after only seven minutes that led to the first goal. Marcus Kelly's set piece was met by the head of Norwood who rose perfectly to hand Rovers the first of what would be many goals to come. Maitland-Niles hammered over on the quarter of an hour mark but he hit the target to level just after, slotting coolly past Sam Russell. Just a minute later and the Rovers keeper did well to deny Hayden while Chuba Akpom's goal ten minutes before the interval was disallowed with the linesman having his flag raised for an offside decision. Some good refereeing and some even more impressive link up play handed Rovers their second goal shortly before the break. Norwood was again the man to find the net as he knocked in after Kurtis Guthrie's low cross found the hit man. Attempts on goal from Rodgers and Kelly went close in the early stages of the second half but the Gunners drew parity just before the hour mark. Former Barcelona youngster Jon Toral linked up well with Gedion Zelalem and the former produced an exquisite dinked finish over Rovers replacement shot-stopper Paul White. Rob Sinclair then restored Rovers lead with his first touch after coming on as a substitute. The summer signing from Salisbury was well positioned on the edge of the area after the ball fell to him from a corner and he smashed home through a sea of bodies. Arsenal hit back once again with a stunning strike from the eye catching Crowley. The young midfielder was given plenty of room on the edge of the Rovers box and he advanced to send a missile-like strike past White. The impressive Guthrie almost handed FGR the lead again only for his attack down the right to end with a low effort which rolled wide. With the game approaching its ending the Premier League outfit showed all their class and took control - wrestling the lead away from Rovers for the first time. Hayden showed terrific strength to win the ball in the Rovers box and to fire past White to hand his side the lead. And he then grabbed another goal only two minutes later as Crowley's inventiveness fed the England youth international who found the back of the net. Arsenal were rampant towards the finish and White made a brilliant double save in an attempt to keep the score down. However he couldn't stop defender Semi Ajayi from smashing home on 90 minutes after Rovers failed to clear from a corner. There was still time for one final Rovers reply and it came once again from Sinclair. The midfield man picked up the ball in a similar area to where he had found the net the first time around and he drove home to complete an entertaining evening. FGR: S Russell, A Baldwin, C Stokes, E Oshodi (C), L Oliver, K Guthrie, J Norwood, M Kelly, A Bangura, L Rodgers, D Wright, D Bennett, L Hughes, E Frear, R Sinclair, A Barry, S Bevan, L Wright Subs not used: S Wedgbury, D Pipe, C Kamdjo, J Jennings, J Parkin ARSENAL: M Macey, G Kamara, B Ormonde-Ottewill, K Olsson, S Ajayi, S O'Connor, J Toral, I Hayden, C Akpom, G Zelalem, A Maitland-Niles, D Crowley, D Iliev Subs not used: J Jebb, T Moore, A Lipman, C Willock