Forest Green 3-0 Shrewsbury Town
Forest Green are now unbeaten in three after overcoming League One Shrewsbury in the opening round of the EFL Trophy.
Goals from Dylan Kadji, Tyrese Omotoye and Matty Stevens took the Nailsworth side top of their regional group after game week one.
Forest Green went in front on 37 minutes when Bristol City loanee Kadji controlled and slotted home inside the area.
Omotoye doubled the home side’s lead on the hour, beating Shrewsbury keeper Harry Burgoyne at the near post after racing through on goal.
The pick of the goals, however, belonged to however, belonged to Stevens, who curled a finish into the top corner from outside the area for his third of the season.
Shrewsbury won a penalty with five minutes remaining but Jamie Searle saved to ensure his clean sheet.
Head coach David Horseman made eight changes to the side that beat Sutton United on the weekend, naming academy prospects Preston Mason and Olly Sully, as well as 15-year-old Isaac Hughes, on the bench, with Sully and Hughes both coming on late in the match.
The EFL Trophy is open to third and fourth tier English clubs, as well as 16 under-21 teams from Premier League and Championship clubs.
There are 16 regional groups that kick off the competition, with Rovers and Shrewsbury joined by Walsall and Brighton under 21s, with Brighton taking a 3-2 win in the opening game two weeks ago.
Next up for Rovers is a home league fixture where they’ll look to leapfrog 11th place Crewe Alexandra. The next EFL Trophy match will be away at Walsall on 10th October.
Forest Green: Searle, Carter, Johnson, Welch, Robson, Kadji, Bendle, Bunker, Jenks, Stevens, Omotoye
Subs: McKenzie, Bennett, Sully, Hughes, Sanniola
