Aldershot Town 2 Forest Green Rovers 3
Robbie Savage
Forest Green Rovers boss Robbie Savage felt his side should have scored more after surviving a late scare in their 3-2 win over Aldershot Town on Saturday afternoon.
Aldershot’s second-half comeback attempt wasn’t enough to thwart Kyle McAllister’s brace and Jayden Clarke’s first-half finish as Rovers won their second league game in a row, a feat they haven’t managed since late September.
“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.
“We’re third in the National League; there are some huge clubs up there, some that might not think that we’ll challenge them, but we’re not going away.
“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.”
McAllister opened the scoring midway through the first half as Clarke capitalised on Ben Jackson’s poor pass and he played it into the feet of the Scotsman on the edge of the Aldershot box, he shifted the ball onto his left and coolly converted into the bottom left corner.
“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.
Clarke then got himself onto the scoresheet as he finished off an unbelievable team move that stemmed from the new signing, Harry Isted.
The ball then shifted between Inniss, Whitwell and Mendy, who played it inside to Dausch, and he unselfishly laid it off for the former Gillingham man, who slotted into the same corner.
On how he wants his side to score, Savage said: “Every goal is satisfying, I don’t care if it comes off somebody’s knee, every goal that ends up in the back of the opposition net, I don’t care how, it’s always satisfying.
Rovers found the net for the third time on the hour mark as McAllister scored his brace after another poor defensive clearance fell to Laurent Mendy inside the Shots box, and he poked it across to the 26-year-old, who hammered hard and low past Pat Nash.
The hosts weren’t dead and buried yet as two goals in the space of three minutes ruined Isted’s hopes for a clean sheet on debut.
“I thought the keeper did well today, commanded his box really well. Ryan Inniss won some good headers, and he’s been called up to Trinidad and Tobago.
“The deal came about really quickly for Isted. I’m sure he’ll come under a lot more pressure under crosses. I want my keeper to be brave.”
Ciaran Gilligan capitalised on a deflected shot in the 68th minute, as the ball fell to him inside the Rovers box and he prodded home to pull one back.
The second was scored in a fortuitous manner as an inswinging free kick was flicked on at the near post and bounced off Kwame Thomas past the debutant keeper.
Despite a nervy final 20 minutes, Rovers held on for a crucial three points after being three goals to the good.
Savage wasn’t present on the touchline after his yellow card against Luton Town in the FA Cup last week gave the Welshman a one-game ban.
“I thought Dan Watson, Dan Connor and Jon McMahon managed the team really well. I’m proud of them, but I knew they could do that, so big credit to them today,” Savage said.
“I was sitting in the stands next to Dale Vince and Mark Bowen.
“I want to apologise that I couldn’t go over to the fans at the end, shoutout to the fans. It means a lot.”
Christian Doidge was missing from the travelling squad today, having also missed out on the FA Cup first round contest last week.
“There’s always a way back into the squad for any of my players.
“The way Dausch played at Luton, and Temi Babalola’s physical presence, I play one up top, so with those two, it’s up to Doidgey to get back into the squad.
“There might be options for the players who aren’t in the 19, 20, 22 to leave, if they don’t feel they can get into my squad, we can help facilitate a move away, whether that be a loan or permanent.
“Doidgey’s been an ultimate professional, he’s great around the dressing room, but right now Dausch took his chance, he played 60 minutes.”
Rovers host Tamworth on Tuesday night at The New Lawn in a rescheduled affair due to the visitors’ FA Cup commitments last Monday evening.
“I went to watch Tamworth, we know what they’re about, their long throws, their set pieces, but they’ve got some good players, some pace in the team, a physical test.
“I believe we can beat them; they’re doing exceptionally well in the National League.”
Aldershot Town: 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: 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: 2,219 (229 away).
