Ecstatic Robbie Savage heaped praise on his side as scintillating Forest Green dismantled Gateshead to leapfrog Carlisle United at the top.
First half strikes from Sheffield United loanee Jili Buyabu, Temi Babalola and Jayden Clarke put Rovers in the box seat to see Savage’s side hit the summit. The Head grabbed scant consolation for their arduous trip to Gloucestershire when Jacob Butterfield struck in the 95th-minute.
Listen to Robbie Savage’s unabridged post-match synopsis
Listen to Gateshead assistant manager Jacob Butterfield deliver his post-match verdict
On an emotional day, Rovers paid tribute with a minute’s applause filling the stadium as the club honoured the recent passing of former manager Colin Addison and ex director Adrian Riddiford. Addison, who managed Forest Green Rovers 22 years ago, during a distinguished career that included leading Derby County, Swansea City, Hereford, and Spanish side Real Sociedad.
A beaming Savage said: “I’ve got a big smile on my face today, because you know there’s a lot of talk on social media about us, a lot of jealousy, but what my group are doing to be above some huge football clubs with massive expectation. We’re having fun, we’re entertaining and we’re enjoying it.
“For us to be top of the league with 20 new players, young players who are coming from lower, it’s quite remarkable and we sit top of the table after 19 games, it’s about being at the top of the table at the end of the season. And if we’re anywhere near it, or if we don’t win it and we’re in the play-offs, nobody will ever want to come here because we’re so good.”
Ever the perfectionist, Savage wants more from his table-toppers: “I think we’ve got to be more clinical, more ruthless, 3–0. The amount of chances we’ve created, this team creates… was 30 shots the other night, 30 shots against 11 today. The words at times fail me for this group. Fourteen new players out of the eighteen in the squad. I know we’ve brought twenty players in.”
Savage lavished praise on his side in what was close to a complete performance, highlighting Harry Isted in goal: “I thought there were some outstanding performances. Harry’s Isted’s first half performance, even though we scored three and could have scored more… he made unbelievable saves.
“He’ll be disappointed with the one if it took a deflection, but the saves in the first half—wow. What a keeper he is. Another one that Mark Bowen has found, that Dan Watson’s found for us. So Dan deserves a lot of credit, so when Luke McNicholas is fit, we’ve got three brilliant keepers.
“We’re a young side developing, we’re going to get better. We need to be more clinical. We can’t keep having 30 shots every game, only scoring three goals.”
Rovers’ boss insists his young side can only get better as they dine at the top table: “We’re above Carlisle, which is for us quite remarkable. You know, the might of Carlisle, for them to be below us as it stands is quite incredible for this group. Twenty new players, youngsters, who are going to get better.
“York are a brilliant club, Rochdale are brilliant. Boreham Wood, what Luke Garrard’s doing is great, and it’s such a tough race. On the day when it’s the campaign for three up—which I totally agree with—this title race is going to be so big, so big. And right now we’re competing with some huge football clubs.
“As I keep saying, York and Carlisle, I think before a ball was kicked, everybody’s favourites. After 19 games, 20 new players, youngsters, bringing the wage budget down, bringing the average age down… nobody giving us a real chance of winning the league. I want to pay my group massive credit.”
On a day when Storm Claudia relented, Savage rained down praise on his behind the scenes staff: “I want to give Nick, the groundsman, credit once again for the surface. He was watching the pitch before the game. You know, it’s an unbelievable pitch. The investment that has gone in from Dale Vince to get this surface for our players to play on the way we play.”
Savage was particularly pleased with Jayden Clarke and Jili Buyabu who are forging an impressive partnership down the left side: “I thought there were some outstanding performances. Jayden Clarke again, Jili— that combination now. You know, football’s about partnerships and combinations. Those two have done brilliantly well down their side. And again, we’re doing exceptionally well. Temi Babalola with another goal. Nick Haughton, I thought, was outstanding today as well, and he’s had a cold all week, but he was desperate to play after his performance the other night. So yeah, the frightening thing is this young group are going to get better.”
Savage has given his players time to recuperate before they hit the ground running next weekend: “We’re in a good place, we’re top of the league. Free week, which is helpful. I’ve just given the lads off till Wednesday. We’ll have a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday week because they deserve it. Rest, sleep—so important for the amount of games we’ve had. And we’re four from four. It’s been a great period for us.
“And for us to be top of the league, little Forest Green, behind some massive football clubs who shouldn’t be in the division really—but they are. So yeah, we’re excited.
“So you imagine this group next year when we add one or two more youngsters, and the year after—how good they’re going to be, whatever league we’re in.”
Savage was spotted with his son Charlie before the game – the Reading midfielder afforded to watch Rovers due to the international break: “I wouldn’t be here I don’t think if it wasn’t for my relationship with Dale from Charlie’s first loan. I miss my family, you know, with the amount of time I spend away. It was a proud moment to walk across the pitch with my son before the game. I love both my sons equally and I wish Freddie had been here, but when you don’t see your family very much and you are away a lot, your family support you, which for me is amazing.”
On his son seeing the team, he said: “He came in the manager’s room before the game and he looked at the board and he said, ‘Wow, what a team that is, Dad. What a team that you and Mark Bowen have created.’ He had the opportunity here, afforded to him by Dale.”
Savage revealed dining out would taste even sweeter tonight: “My PA was over from Valencia—Trisha, who’s been with me for 30 years—her first game here with her family. It was her daughter’s birthday, so we’re treating them tonight. And my son was here, and that makes me proud.”
Earlier, Rovers were first out the traps – Tom Knowles fizzing over and Buyabu watching his shot hacked away by defender Ben Williams. At the other end, Harry Isted showed sharp reflexes to glove away Josh Home’s effort. However, Rovers’ pressure told on 13 minutes – Buyabu sweeping home after Tiernan Brookes parried Jayden Clarke’s strike into his pathway.
Rovers needed to be on their toes. Isted kept Rovers’ lead intact – smothering at the feet of Leicester City loanee Kian Pennant. Savage’s side added a second on 25 minutes – Babalola nodding home from Nick Haughton’s cross – his third goal in a week.
Two huge saves from Isted kept Rovers’ two-goal lead intact, blocking Jacob Butterfield’s strike and then showing a strong glove to deflect Kain Adom’s fizzer onto the bar. Any anxiety from Rovers was soon settled when Clarke held off his marker to make it 3-0 on the cusp of the break.
Harvey Bunker watched his header kiss the bar as rampant Rovers threatened to add to the scoreline and then watched his thunderous 35 yard skidder gathered by Brooks. Haughton and then Babalola were denied by a double save from the busy Brooks.
Harry Whitwell watched his header gloved away by Brooks and then Max Melbourne hacks off the line from Babalola.
In the fifth-minute of stoppage-time Jacob Butterfield pulled the trigger from distance to strike a late consolation for the Head.
Dejected assistant manager Butterfield insisted his side were on top in the opening exchanges: “We started really well and caused them a lot of problems. I think up to about 25 minutes, in my opinion we’re a better team, playing really well, but we’re 2-0 down, we’ve got to work harder keeping the ball out of the net and that’s been a problem all season.”
Forest Green Rovers 3 (Buyabu 13, Babalola 25, Clarke 45)
Gateshead 1 (Butterfield 95 )
Team line-ups:
Forest Green (4-1-4-1): Isted 7; Knowles 7 (Pemberton 68, 7), Mendy 8, Kanu 7 Buyabu 7 (Kengni 68, 7); Bunker 7; McAllister 7 (Dausch 80), Haughton 7 (Moore 73, 7), Whitwell 7, Clarke 9; Babalola 8, (Doidge 80).
Subs not used: Pagel, Bamba
Gateshead (4-2-3-1): Brooks 8; John 6, Williams 6, Melbourne 6(Lowery 90), Ferguson 6; Edwards 6 (Telford 79), Home 6; Butterfield 7, Chapman 6 (Bone 90), Adom 6; Pennant 7 (Hurst 59,6 ).
Subs not used: Fitzhugh, Gettins, Leech
Half time: Forest Green 3-0 Gateshead
Referee: Harrison Blair
Star man: Jayden Clarke
Attendance: 2,386
Rating: 5/5
MATCH STATS
FOREST GREEN V GATESHEAD
Shots on target: 16 / 7
Shots off target:7/ 1
Corners:7/ 2
Offside: 1 / 0
Fouls:10/ 8
Yellow cards:2 / 1
Red cards: 0 / 0
