Robbie Savage described Forest Green Rovers’ performance at Carlisle United as his “proudest moment” since taking charge, despite being left “very disappointed” not to take all three points.
Rovers made the perfect start when Kyle Kelly headed them in front after just eight minutes.
Jayden Clarke delivered a dangerous inswinging corner from the left and Kelly was left unmarked at the near post to head home.
Carlisle had threatened inside the opening minute when former Rovers players Harvey Bunker and Teddy Jenks combined, with Jenks going down under a challenge from Tate Campbell. Referee Andrew Miller was unmoved despite the appeals.
Forest Green continued to look dangerous, but the home side levelled just before the half-hour mark.
Jenks was at the heart of the move, pouncing on some defensive indecision before driving towards the box. The ball eventually broke to the right, where Michael Obiero powered his effort past Ethan Ross.
Rovers were dealt a blow when striker Ricardo Rees was forced off injured, with Omari Patrick coming on against his former club.
Sean Etaluku was unable to make the most of a promising counter-attack, while Carlisle almost gifted Rovers a second just before the break when Azeez was caught in possession. Patrick, however, fired wide from the right.
Forest Green started the second half on the front foot, with Patrick unable to convert an Etaluku cross.
Both sides pushed for a winner in the closing stages, with Azeez firing over in stoppage time before Carlisle came within inches of taking all three points.
A header crashed against the crossbar and Luamba reacted quickest to the rebound, only for Ross to produce an outstanding reflex save with the final chance of the game.
Despite being disappointed with the result, Savage was hugely impressed with his side’s performance.
He said: “I’m very disappointed not to take all three points. I thought we were absolutely unplayable in the first half.
“My proudest moment since I’ve been here at the club. For the boys to play like they did, to take the game to Carlisle, to create as many chances against arguably the most front-footed team in the division.
“To come here to get applauded off by the way as well by some of their fans who stayed. And our fans were amazing. Just goes to show what this young team, average age I think just over about 23, have come and took Carlisle apart.
Savage was delighted with the contribution from his players at set pieces, with Forest Green taking the lead through Kelly’s header.
He said: “It was great ball in, great header from Kyle (Kelly). Everybody to a man today was at times breathtaking.”
The major concern for Rovers was the first-half withdrawal of Ricardo Rees, with Savage confirming the forward will undergo a scan on his knee.
Asked about the injury, Savage said: “He’s going for a scan. I have to wait and see. Hopefully, hopefully, the thing that you worry about knees is, you know, ligaments. Have to get the scan. Doesn’t look great.”
Savage also explained the difficult decisions he had to make from the bench, with a number of players struggling physically following Saturday’s 4-0 win over Gateshead.
Kyle McAllister was one of those players, with Savage admitting he had no choice but to protect his captain.
He said: “Macca’s (Kyle McAllister) whole body seized up. You know, I never take Macca off, but you know, you could see he was struggling when he’s come off.
“If I lost Macca for a number of weeks, you know, we’d all be devastated because he’s my captain for me, the best player in the league. So we had to protect him.”
Savage is now facing a difficult period with four players set to miss games because of international duty, while Rees could potentially face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The loan signing of West Ham’s Preston Fearon, along with Ade Gbadehan was designed to help Rovers through the international period, but Savage admitted the situation could now require a reset.
He said: “We might have to reassess, reassess because we’re going to lose Phil (Filozofe Mabete), going to lose Kairo (Mitchell) , going to lose D’Mani Mellor, and we’re going to lose Kyle Kelly and if Ricardo’s (Rees) is out for a long time, that’s five players, so we’ll get through Saturday and then we have to reassess. We’ve got to do what’s right for our football club and if Ricardo’s out for a number of weeks, we’re going to be without five players, three centre-forwards. So that’s why we brought in young Preston (Fearon) and that’s why we brought in Ade Gbadehan.”
Savage was asked about the average age of his team and how impressive it was that several players had performed in front of more than 5,000 supporters.
He said: “It’s even nicer because when you lose three games as manager, you’ve got to think, oh, I’m under a bit of pressure here, you know, for myself.
“Internally not, because you know we know what we’re doing, what the process is, but to have back-to-back wins and clean sheets and then to come here and play like we did is satisfying because you know you’re doing the right things.
“You know your recruitment’s been right because to come here boys have never played in front of those crowds, never come to these stadiums.
“And these are the opportunities we’re going to give to youngsters first loans.
“And again, only disappointing thing is we should be going back on the bus, the five and a half, six hours down the road with three points, but they get a couple of chances as well. Let’s be totally honest.”
Savage felt the game had been an excellent advert for the National League.
He said: “Let’s be totally honest. The Carlisle United fans have seen two very, very good sides tonight. One team who should have scored at least five, no exaggeration. They could have had three or four as well, but it was a brilliant game and two teams really who I believe are league clubs.”
The fixture had attracted attention following the events surrounding last season’s meeting, but Savage said the atmosphere was very different this time around.
He said: “Brilliant game. Both sets of fans were magnificent. The fans behind me were good. It was played in a great spirit. Two very good footballing sides. Two teams who are going to get better. And, we can be proud of our club, proud of what we’re about.”
Savage was pleased that the Rovers players were applauded by some of the home supporters at the final whistle.
He said: “It was just a real nice feeling. Good for the game.”
Savage also praised the work being done at Forest Green, pointing to the reduced budget and opportunities being given to young players.
He said: “What we’ve done, which is not the narrative people want to hear, we have given youngsters opportunities.
“The budget has come down hugely, which nobody really gives us credit for, what Mark (Bowen) has done, and we’ve created a brand of football which hasn’t been seen for a long time at Forest Green.
“And we’re going to keep doing it, keeping our beliefs and try and get wins because we’re a good side.”
Carlisle United: Desbois, Ellis (Duru 58), Feeney, Nicholson, Galvin, Azeez, Bunker (Wearne 70), Jenks (Harper 79), Ajiboye (Luamba 58), Obiero (Linney 70), G Kelly.
Not used: Mair, Williams.
Goal: Obiero 28.
Booked: Nicholson, Feeney.
Forest Green: Ross, Kircough, Abrefa, Mabete, Sass (Pemberton 82), Campbell, Clarke, Etaluku (Ewing 82), McAllister (Ifeanyi 70), K Kelly (Fearon 70), Rees (Patrick 33).
Not used: McNicholas, Haughton.
Goal: K Kelly 8.
Booked: Abrefa, Sass, Ewing.
Ref: Andrew Miller.
Attendance: 5,871 (58 Forest Green fans).
