Steve Cotterill’s sending off against Tamworth failed to knock Forest Green off course as they confirmed a third-placed finish, ensuring a home semi-final in the play-offs.
The Forest Green manager was shown a straight red card after 21 minutes during Easter Monday’s 3-0 win at the New Lawn.
The red mist surfaced following a yellow card for Rovers’ Cian Harries’ after he was adjudged to have fouled Tamworth’s Dan Creaney.
The incident sparked a heated reaction from the Tamworth bench with Cotterill also making his frustration known. And during the ensuing melee, a ball from the boot of Cotterill, heading towards the Tamworth dugout, hit fourth official Liam Corbett.
“A comment was passed from the opposition bench, his (Steve Cotterill) reaction probably sums up what was said and we will probably just leave it at that.” Dan Connor on Cotterill red card.
With Cotterill sent to the stands, Rovers turned up the heat – forward Jordon Garrick fired into the bottom corner in the 29th minute and impish midfielder Charlie McCann added a second shortly afterwards before defender Jamie Robson’s sumptuous finish four minutes from half-time.
Scroll through Peter Barnes’s pictures from Rovers’ 3-0 victory over Tamworth
Assistant manager Dan Connor conducted post-match media duties in Cotterill’s absence, he told BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s Paul Furley: “A comment was passed from the opposition bench, his reaction probably sums up what was said and we will probably just leave it at that.”
Connor added: “Even if he gets sent off, he is still in control of the team. All we can do is help and try and instruct the players on what he wants to do and make sure that we close out the game.
“I am sure he is disappointed; he has had a conversation with the players and I think for the lads to get a bit of a kick to bounce back from that, probably spurred on the players and the fans and probably made the game better.”
Peter Barnes’s pictures from Forest Green’s Good Friday 1-1 draw at Mark Cooper’s Yeovil Town
