Tranmere Rovers 0 Forest Green Rovers 4
Whisper it very quietly but the Forest Green machine shows no signs of taking its foot off the pedal as the runaway league leaders opened up a 10-point lead at the top.
With bookmakers already paying out on Forest Green winning the league, and as it stands – Rob Edwards’ side is odds-on for a staggering 102 points finish to the season.
In arguably their most complete performance thus far, the Nailsworth outfit made it 15 league games without defeat and emphatically ended second-placed Tranmere’s 10-match unbeaten run by smashing four goals against the tightest defence in the league.
Forest Green got off to a flyer – the opener arrived in the sixth minute when Udoka Godwin-Malife advanced forward to play in former Tranmere loanee Kane Wilson danced beyond Calum MacDonald and crossed to livewire Matty Stevens, who swept the ball home with clinical aplomb for his 16th goal of the season.
Jamille Matt lashed in Nicky Cadden’s cross for his 17th league goal of the campaign, making it 2-0 three minutes before the break.
The outstanding Jordan Moore-Taylor’s sumptuous curler in the 53rd minute and Regan Hendry’s fizzer from the edge of the box left Tranmere on the floor.
At the death, substitute Josh March fluffed his lines from the penalty spot after being upended in the box.
Boss Rob Edwards lauded his side, he told BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s Billy Hunt: “It was a whole team performance. Everyone, including the players that came on, the lads that were unused and the lads that weren’t named in the squad today – it’s every one of them.
“I’ve just said that to them in there – it’s every one of them because they train with us all week and they train really hard all week.
“I have to select 11 to start and can only bring three subs on but every single one of them deserved that and they’re part of this group.”
STAT ATTACK
Tranmere Rovers: Doohan; Dacres-Cogley, Clarke, Knight-Percival, MacDonald; Morris, Spearing (Hawkes 59), O’Connor, McPake; Jolley (Nevitt 45), Hemmings.
Subs not used: Murphy, Merrie, Hayde, McManaman, Glatzel.
Forest Green Rovers: McGee; Godwin-Malife, Moore-Taylor, Cargill; Wilson, Stevenson, Hendry (Sweeney 77), Cadden; Aitchison; Stevens (Bernard 64), Matt (March 77).
Subs not used: Thomas, Diallo, McAteer, Young.
Star performer: Jordan Moore-Taylor. Imperious at the back and capped his performance with a fizzing strike.
Referee: Lee Swabey.
Attendance: 10,924
Next up: Rovers travel to Darrell Clarke’s Port Vale on Tuesday.
