Forest Green 0 Nottingham Forest U21s
Forest Green Rovers were knocked out of the National League Cup after a 1–0 defeat to a vibrant Nottingham Forest youth team, with manager Robbie Savage delivering an honest and hard-hitting assessment of his side’s performance.
Warren Joyce’s Nottingham Forest Academy side secured the win through a second-half strike from Kalum Thompson, capitalising on a much-changed and underperforming Rovers team whose display did little to strengthen individual cases for selection ahead of Forest Green’s National League clash with Southend United this weekend.
A dissapointed Savage said: “We’ve got run all over by a young side with desire, with energy, with enthusiasm, and they were magnificent. And the disappointing thing is the majority of the 21s I’m led to believe have stayed back. The team that went to Wealdstone and won, I think, speaking to Warren Joyce, who’s brilliant by the way, six or seven of their senior 21s weren’t even here. And their younger 21s or 18s could have scored five or six past us if it wasn’t for the exception of Luke (McNicholas) so I’ve learned a lot tonight about the group and this confirmed some thoughts in my head, but now we know where we’re going as a group and as a club, and tonight was not acceptable.”
Rovers started brightly, with Ryan Inniss coming close from a towering header off Jilli Buyabau’s pinpoint cross.
At the other end, Jordan Moore-Taylor’s slide tackle denied Lamin Sillah, keeping Forest at bay. Despite Forest dominating possession, Rovers created the first clear chance late in the first half.
On the cusp of halftime, Buyabau delivered an exquisite pass from inside his own half to release Christian Doidge, who looked set to score—but a recovery tackle from captain Justin Hanks snuffed out the danger.
Match gallery – pictures by Peter Barnes
Forest nearly broke the deadlock just before the break. Luke McNicholas made a strong save from Zyan Blake, and the rebound saw Sillah’s effort cleared off the line by Moore-Taylor and Tre Pemberton.
Rovers were caught cold five minutes after the restart- Blake burst into the box for Kalum Thompson to net. Forest were rampant, but found McNicholas in determined mood. The Rovers’ keeper doing well to get something on Sillah’s dink to direct it onto the bar.
It was all Forest. McNicholas thwarted Chinaza Nwosu and Blaine McClure hit the foot of the post.
McNicholas then denied Nwosu. And then McClure hit the foot of post in a frenzied few minutes. Forest kept up their fire – Sillah fluffed his lines when lackadaisical defending presented a chance. Savage shoved Inniss up front to add a physical presence to a blunt attack. Rovers responded Nick Haughton saw his skidder gathered by keeper Luke Campbell.
Nicholas blocked from the impressive Thompson. Rovers’ Harry Cardwell was denied at the death – Campbell falling on his strike inside the box.
Savage struggled to find few positives: “I would say the keeper was outstanding and Max Robson worked hard and you could see the energy put into the game. Isaac Moore did fine, but other than that, I can’t think of many positives at the top. At the top end of the pitch, their keeper made one save from Nick Haughton and one save at the end – that was it against a very young side. And again, that’s not acceptable.”
Savage admitted that the team he selected against Nottingham Forest is unlikely to reflect his line up for Saturday’s National League clash with Southend United.
“The thing is, we’ve built an unbelievable squad. The biggest strength of our team is being able to cover the pitch, stay dynamic, and work hard throughout the game. Tonight highlighted the difference between the team we select against Southend and the team we put out this evening. It was a huge eye-opener for me and my staff. I didn’t expect a performance like that, but it happened — and that takes nothing away from Nottingham Forest’s youth team, who could easily have scored five or six.”
Looking ahead, Savage vowed that standards must rise: “A youth team run all over senior players numerous times, and that can happen, so there will be some home truth being told on Thursday and if I need to bring players who can get about the park and run and come onto the bench on the weekend, I will. I’ve got no problem with it because we’re going one way as a football club and we’re going to get there eventually.”
Forest Green Rovers: McNicholas, Inniss, Moore-Taylor, Kengni, Haughton, Doidge, Dausch (Robson, 45), Knowles (Pemberton, 1), Moore (Conteh, 63), Buyabu (Long, 45), Babalola (Cardwell, 1).
Subs not used: Pagel, Williams
Nottingham Forest U21S: Campbell, Dennis Nwosu (Broomes, 80), Sanneh, Hammond, Hanks, Nwosu (Daly, 90), Thompson, McClure, Sillah, Berry, Blake (Anijsko, 63).
Subs not used: Grainger, Thompson, Bradsahw, Yaya.
Attendance: 265
