Forest Green Rovers 1 Solihull Moors 1
Robbie Savage
Forest Green Rovers manager Robbie Savage said it was two points dropped, despite coming from behind to salvage a point after his side’s 1-1 draw at home to Solihull Moors.
Alex Whitmore’s first half opener was cancelled out by Nick Haughton’s drilled finish midway through the second period as the two sides shared the spoils.
“We’re not clinical enough, not ruthless enough, and if you want to win the league, you have to be that,” Savage said.
“You have to be winning games like today if you want to win the league, you have to.
“I come out here every week and say the same thing, so what do we need to do now? Do we have to just get someone who will stand in the six-yard box and put the ball in the back of the net?
“I’m getting frustrated now, we can’t keep creating this many chances, we’re playing wonderful football, attacking football, the crowd are loving it, entertainment value is fine, we’re joint top of the league, but inevitably it’s going to cost us.”
Solihull defender Whitmore put the visitors ahead after he latched onto a second ball following a clearance from a free kick, and he hammered past Harry Isted.
“It was one long ball, header, deflected down, shot, goal, we have how many; terrible headers, no desire to attack, and it happened in training yesterday.
“First half, I wouldn’t say they were better, but they created the better chances, and they were deservedly in front.”
Haughton equalised for Forest Green on 62 minutes as he twisted and turned in the penalty area before getting a shot away with his left foot, which skimmed on the wet surface into the bottom left corner.
Rovers trailed at the interval, and Savage made a half time substitution, bringing on Tre Pemberton in place of Isaac Moore, which saw Tom Knowles move to left back, Jili Buyabu move up the pitch with Haughton playing in his preferred attacking midfield position alongside Harry Whitwell.
“You don’t scream and shout at half-time, you give them solutions, and the solutions worked because Tre was outstanding when he came on.”
Solihull right-back James Clarke made two excellent goalline clearances in the space of two minutes prior to the opener, the first to stop Whitwell’s effort, and the second to stop substitute Pemberton’s shot.
“They were brilliant, great clearances, defending your goal, desire, we do that as well.”
The referee was put under the spotlight today after some questionable decisions favouring both sides, to the extreme that the two managers at one point were laughing together about one of the ridiculous decisions made.
On officials, Savage said: “I don’t want to talk about referees, it’s a tough thing to be, I’ll never question referees, it’s a hard job, and they do their best.
Rovers don’t have another league game until their trip to Yeovil on December 20, as they host Weston-super-Mare, who have qualified for the FA Cup third round, in the FA Trophy next week.
Former Forest Green midfielder Adam May has joined Weston and will likely make his return to The New Lawn just a week after his departure.
“It should be a good game next week, they’re flying in their league, we’re flying in ours, it’ll be a strong team because it’s a competition we want to go far in.”
Forest Green Rovers: Isted; Knowles, Mendy, Kanu (Robson 82), Buyabu (Clarke 73); Moore (Pemberton 46), Bunker; McAllister, Whitwell, Haughton; Babalola. Subs not used: McNicholas, Kengni, Bamba, Dausch.
Solihull Moors: Walker; Clarke, French, Whitmore, Green; Lipsiuc (Nicholson 86), High, Osborne (Tipton 61), Sinclair (Sonupe 61); Stevenson, Sbarra (Worman 61). Subs not used: Flahavan, Bowen, Nurse.
Referee: Paul Johnson.
Attendance: 1,894 (124 away).
