Not resting on his laurels, Forest Green boss Robbie Savage is still demanding more from his side after they secured a 3–2 victory at Aldershot Town.
Rovers set the tone from the opening whistle, and their dominance paid off in the 23rd minute when Kyle McAllister capitalised on a misplaced pass from Jackson to slot Rovers ahead. Jayden Clarke then doubled the advantage moments later, calmly finishing after a slick passing move with Harry Whitwell and Aidan Dausch.
Gaffer tapes: Listen to the unabridged post-match synopsis from Robbie Savage
The visitors’ attacking intent continued to shine in the first half, with Laurent Mendy dictating play from midfield and narrowly hitting the post before McAllister scored his second in the 69th minute, putting Rovers 3–0 up.
However, Aldershot refused to go quietly. A deflected effort allowed Ciaran Gilligan to pull one back in the 72nd minute, and a fortunate header from Kwame Thomas two minutes later brought the hosts back into the game, but Rovers saw the game out comfortably.
Savage said “We work hard as a team, and naturally, some individuals have to work even harder. We’ve won a game of football, and scoring three goals away from home is a great achievement, but when I look at the data – the number of high sprint runs, recoveries, and overall output – I don’t think we were quite at our best today. This team can perform at a higher level, and I know we can do better. That said, I’m not going to be overly negative, because we’ve taken three valuable points, and it’s a win to be proud of. There’s always room for improvement, and I want to see us continue to raise our standards.
“We controlled the game well in the first half; we deserved the goals and should have scored more. These are the games that matter, and getting positive results here sets us up for the bigger challenges ahead.
“It’s three points away from home in the National League. I thought we controlled the game well in the first half; we deserved the goals, and we should have scored more,” Savage said.
“I’m delighted, it’s a huge win for us. These are the places you’ve got to come to, and if you get positive results, the bigger games take care of themselves; these are the games that matter.”
Savage also highlighted McAllister’s eye-catching display: “My son played with Kyle, and when I took the job, Charlie said Kyle’s the best player at Forest Green,” Savage said.
“In pre-season, I wondered why he was playing at this level, but his output wasn’t as good as it could be. If his end product improves, his assists and his goals, he will go higher.
“He was magnificent at Luton, he was magnificent today, and that’s the Kyle McAllister we need to see every week because he’s that good at this level, and lots of other teams would love to have him.”
After serving a one-game ban and watching from the stands alongside owner Dale Vince and sporting director Mark Bowen, Savage praised his coaching staff and thanked the 229 away fans: “Big credit to Dan Watson, Dan Connor, and John McMahon for managing the team so well. I want to apologise that I couldn’t celebrate with the fans at the end – their support means a lot.
“Brilliant support once again – I know that. The fans have a football team they can be proud of. We’ve got a young, energetic side full of hunger and desire, players who want to improve and aren’t afraid to make mistakes. Big shout out to them again. I engage with fans on social media, retweeting a few messages, and it really means a lot. The fan engagement has been wonderful, the turnout brilliant, and little old Forest Green are still up there!”
Final Score: Aldershot Town 2–3 Forest Green Rovers
Goals: McAllister (23’, 69’), Clarke (32’, 40’); Gilligan (72’), Thomas (74’)
Attendance: 2,219 (229 away)
Aldershot Town (4-2-3-1): Nash; Taylor, Nightingale, Jackson (Armitage 46), Inwood (Penney 89); Gilligan (Abrahams 86), Tetek (Anderson 46); Frost (Rai 46), Hargreaves, Jones; Thomas.
Subs not used: Dewhurst, Mullins.
Forest Green Rovers (4-2-3-1): Isted; Knowles (Pemberton 72), Inniss, Kanu, Buyabu (Moore 88); Mendy, Bunker; McAllister (Moore-Taylor 88), Whitwell, Clarke (Kengni 72); Dausch (Babalola 59).
Subs not used: Pagel, Haughton.
Referee: Steven Copeland.
Attendance: 2219 (229 away).
