LEAGUE TWO. SATURDAY, 30th SEPTEMBER 2023.

Forest Green nailed in Nailsworth.

It has been a troubled year and longer for the only Vegan football club on the planet. The Manager who propelled Forest Green Rovers into League One for the first time – Rob Edwards  – left soon after achieving this extraordinary feat for what is basically a village club. He briefly became the Watford Manager in circumstances which led FGR Chairman Dale Vince to bemoan the lack of honesty which exists generally in English football in his estimation. He said of Edwards:

“I wish him well, but it is poor from Watford, who claim to be starting a new era, and it is poor from Rob as well. He has let us down, but he knows it. We had no contact from Watford, from whom we might expect less, but in any event this kind of behaviour gives football a bad name. “

Chairman Vince has been described in the business press as `the richest Hippie in Britain’. He has been in the spotlight this week leading criticism of the permission given by the government to develop a new oilfield in the North Sea: Rosebank. As an self-styled `Eco Warrior’ with a personal fortune accrued from renewable energy investments, Mr Vince claims that only the Norwegian economy will actually benefit from this new exploitation of fossil fuels. The fourteen billion pounds he is convinced people like you and me will invest in this project whether we approve of it or not would be better spent – in his view – on renewable energy-producing resources.  But – in the immortal words of Mandy Rice Davis – “Well, he would, wouldn’t he?”‘

As we are about to see, some people are rather less than impressed by Dale Vince’s business acumen, if only because of his record as a Chairman of a football club. He persuaded Everton legend Duncan `Disorderly’ Ferguson to take the reins at the New Lawn once Rob Edwards left – with disastrous results. At the end of the season, FGR were dead and buried long before anyone else and ended-up bottom of the League One table with just 27 points out of a possible 138. Ferguson was sacked with most of his five year contract still to run. Chairman Vince and Forest Green then made history by appointing the first ever woman to manage an EFL club in the shape of Hannah Dingley.

However, the Welsh coach’s appointment didn’t last long either. Dale Vince said that hers was only an interim appointment when he announced that she was going to be replaced by a man last July. He added – in language which strikes me at least as almost cringeworthily patronising:

“I’m grateful to Hannah for holding the fort for the club while we went through the complete recruitment process and although she did not get the top job this time, it’s undoubtedly been a valuable experience and a big step on her career path.”

The FGR owner then appointed David Horseman to take on the Manager’s job. This has been FGR’s fourth Managerial appointment in just over twelve months. The news hasn’t been universally uncritically received – to put it mildly.  Talk Sport’s Gabby Agbonlahor, for example, put the following very forthright thoughts on record when hearing of the latest development:

“Hannah Dingley set to lose her job as caretaker manager of Forest Green? Nothing but a PR stunt from that numpty chairman. If I’m being brutally honest, I think the chairman of Forest Green is an attention-seeking moron. He was never going to give her the job. I wanted her to get at least ten games – have a proper go at it. I think it sums him up, to be honest. It’s not the first time you have seen him in the limelight. It is obvious it was just a PR stunt.”

Whether it was or not, Ms Dingley could hardly have done a worse job than her successor has done in the nine games he has been in charge of so far. Mr Horseman has guided Forest Green to twenty-second place in League Two: one position above the relegation trapdoor out of the EFL altogether and a single point clear of struggling Tranmere Rovers, who are the highest-placed of the two clubs currently in the Drop Zone. They have won just one of their last five league games and lost three. Veteran striker Troy Deeney has recently been appointed in a development that must cause David Horseman to be constantly looking over his shoulder, given the Chairman’s clear penchant for sudden change. Troy is now – apparently – FGR’s official `Player-Coach’. He scored a hat-trick against league leaders Notts County last Saturday at Meadow Lane – but his side still lost by the odd goal in seven.

FGR started today’s game with four fewer points than their opponents, having played one game more than Derek Adam’s Morecambe. In previous EFL meetings, the record between these two clubs is identical: nine games played (one more cancelled due to Covid); three games won; three drawn and obviously three lost. In League One last season, however, one of only two away wins for the Shrimps was recorded at the New Lawn and King Derek would be hoping for a repeat performance today:

“Forest Green haven’t won at home; we haven’t won away from home this season. From my point of view, we will try and go there and – exactly the same as our home games – we will try and win it. The run of form away from home is only there because we have been in League One for the last two seasons. What everyone has to remember is we had a very good away record when we got promoted out of League Two into League One.”

Opposite Number David Horseman complained about injuries to his squad and blamed this for his club’s poor showing so far:

“I believe the quality of the work we are doing is really, really good. I believe we’ve got players to come back that’s going to make us a better team; better squad – whatever you want to call it. I’m disappointed that (the fans) haven’t seen the new Forest Green yet.  We’re nine games in (with) fifty; sixty percent of our team down and not been available once yet. That bit hurts.”

The FGR boss had to make an emergency signing this week because of his injury situation. Today, James Belshaw would make his debut in goal for the Green Devils only one day after signing on-loan from Bristol Rovers. Full-back Marcel Lavinier would also start for them for the first time.

At lunchtime, FGR were featured on BBC’s Football Focus and Dale Vince was able to pontificate about how incredibly environmentally friendly and progressive his wonderful pet club is. Nobody asked him what the loyal fans think about this; how much this has all cost nor what the environmental impact of a brand-new wooden stadium some miles away from Nailsworth will be when it is finally built. But at least the new ground will have a roof all the way around it…

The weather really matters at the New Lawn if you’re an away supporter: the Right-On; Ecologically Responsible Vegan club sticks them out on an open terrace in a ground built at the top of a hill where blustery winds are the norm.

If it rains; you stand there and get wet. If it pours down and is stormy into the bargain – you get really wet. But the home fans don’t, Mr Vince, do they?  – so what do you have to say about that?

Anyway, today, it was cloudy but dry as the match started.

Troy Deeney – do we need to call him Troy Greeney these days? – tried to prompt one of his strike partners with a smart pass after a couple of minutes only for Jacob Bedeau to easily deal with the danger. Then Morecambe had a half-chance when James Belshaw was forced into a fairly routine save before Skipper Donald Love was booked for a foul on Matt Stevens after just five minutes.  

JJ McKiernan was then badly fouled by centre half Ryan Inniss in a promising position with a quarter of an hour played. The FGR man was perhaps lucky just to receive a yellow card for this crude foul. Michael Mellon took the resulting free-kick from quite some distance – but missed Belshaw’s right-hand post with his effort.

Deeney turned and squared the ball to Stevens after fourteen minutes but his eventual shot missed the target when he finally unleashed it. The Shrimps had the next chance after sixteen minutes when Tom Bloxham set-up Mellon for a shot which FGR’s new goalkeeper did well to push away for a corner kick which came to nothing. The stand-in stopper then had to make a fairly easy save from Jordan Slew with twenty-two minutes on the clock. Jordan then did well a couple of minutes later to nick the ball from Forest Green and send the ball over for a header from Mellon which again missed the target. Skipper Love then picked-out the prolific Shrimps’ striker after 27 minutes with a lovely pass which eluded Inniss and the young centre-forward coolly took the ball forward and dinked it over Belshaw as he tried to narrow the angle. In doing so, he put his team into the lead away from home in a league game for the first time this season. Michael then set-up JJ for another shot which the loanee goalkeeper had to deal with just a couple of minutes later. Belshaw then found himself playing the role of Sweeper-Keeper with only a few minutes of the half left to play. He left his penalty area to head a ball away as Mellon threatened. But the loanee from the Gas only managed to direct the ball towards Bloxham, whose attempted effort on goal again missed the target.

So Morecambe returned to the Dressing Rooms in an unusual position: winning away from home! They were good value for it and there was a chorus of boos from the long-suffering home crowd as the two teams left the pitch. Player-Coach Deeney had cut a frustrated figure up-front for Rovers almost throughout. Loanee goalkeeper James Belshaw had endured a baptism of fire at his end whilst Stuart Moore at the other had virtually nothing to do.

David Horseman shook-up his pack with two replacements at half time. But any hopes he had of a rapid reversal of fortune were dashed after just three minutes of the re-start. On the break, Jake Taylor saw Bloxham free ahead on the wing and played a superb pass to him. Tom – in turn – put it on a plate for Slew, who opened his account for his second stint with the Shrimps with an assured finish from very close in. Deeney was then denied at the other end as Taylor threw himself at the ball about five minutes later.  FGR substitute Tyrese Omotoye then headed Marcel Lavinier’s cross over the bar with fifty minutes on the clock. Four minutes later, Deeney did well to knock-down a cross to Omotoye but the new man couldn’t get his shot away as the away defence – with Bedeau outstanding – again snapped at his heels. Lavinier then missed the target after a fine pass by FGR Captain Dominic Bernard with an hour played.

Shortly after this, Derek decided to shake things up. Taylor seemed to be struggling again and was replaced by Jacob Davenport. Skipper Love – who had been booked early doors – was also replaced by David Tutonda after putting in another fine performance. The home team were having the lion’s share of the play at this point and – with the crowd belatedly waking-up too – enjoyed the best period of pressure of the game so far for them. The King responded to this by sending on striker Ethan Walker and potential striker Adam Mayor. It seemed to work as the Shrimps rode-out what little storm the hosts had managed to stir-up. JJ just missed with a shot which was deflected for a corner with about ten minutes left. As the home crowd were again becoming restless, Forest Green managed to reduce the arrears in the eighty-fourth minute. A deep cross from Bernard was headed back across goal by Omotoye to substitute Matty Taylor, who managed to bundle it home. But Morecambe had the next decent chance of the game when JJ made some space for himself in the 86^th minute before hammering a shot on target which Belshaw again did well to keep out. In injury time, substitute Ethan Walker forced another good save from the loanee stopper right at the death but the game finally finished with Morecambe still hanging-on to their first away win of this season.

The Shrimps ended the game with twice FGR’s points haul in League Two this season: fourteen. Only the dire form of bottom club Sutton United (who lost 3-0 at Crawley today) and Tranmere (walloped 4-1 at Wimbledon) kept Rovers out of the mire as they lost for the sixth time in a row at home. Morecambe found themselves in twelfth position tonight. Their next opponents – Accrington Stanley – lost at home 1-3 to Stockport County this afternoon to make it four losses out of their last five games for John Coleman’s men. But Stanley remain Morecambe worst Bogey Team of all time so nothing is guaranteed for next Tuesday night. In the meantime, King Derek allowed himself to dream after today’s tremendous result. But who says that dreams never come true?:

“It was an excellent performance from us today. Over the afternoon; two-one does flatter Forest Green. All the Forest Green supporters would say that: it was there for everyone to see. We were in control of the match: 2-0 up; we let a goal in. That gave Forest Green a bit of belief. They should have been put to bed long before then. Belshaw – who only joined them yesterday – had a fantastic game for them. He kept them in the game. We’re always the underdog and I think that until that gets sorted out and off the field it becomes better for us, I’ve got plans for this football club going forward. I want to take this football club to the Championship. I’ve got big plans going forward that I haven’t shared with anyone. Our supporters want to see a team that can get promoted out of League Two into League One and then to the Championship. It’s not going to happen overnight: we’re just putting the foundations in just now.”

Forest Green Rovers: 31 James Belshaw; 2 Marcel Lavinier (10 Matty Taylor 73’); 3 Dominic Bernard (C); 5 Ryan Inniss (Y); 7 Kyle McAllister; 8 Charlie McCann (27 Harvey Bunker 45’); 9 Matt Stevens (39 Callum Morton 73’); 14 Troy Deeney; 17 Jamie Robson (Y) 23 Tyrese Omotoye (Y); 22 Reece Welch; 29 Reece Brown (Y) (6 Teddy Jenks 76’).

Substitutes not used: 20 Jamie Searle; 19 Sean Robertson.

Morecambe: 1 Stuart Moore; 2 Donald Love (C) (Y) (3 David Tutonda 61’); 4 Jacob Bedeau (Y); 7 Tom Bloxham (Y) (19 Ethan Walker 73’); 8 Eli King; 9 Michael Mellon (5 Farrend Rawson 79’); 10 JJ McKiernan; 12 Joel Senior; 14 Jordan Slew (11 Adam Mayor 73’); 18 Jake Taylor (16 Jacob Davenport 61’); 22 James Connolly.

Substitutes not used: 21 Adam Smith; 17 Cammy Smith.

Ref: Adam Herczeg.

Att: Unknown. Probably just over 2000 with about 175 from Morecambe.