Burton Albion 4 Forest Green 1
SUNDAY roast or a Sunday roasting? It would surely have been the latter for the players of Forest Green Rovers, who were hauled in by Alan Lewer for extra training after he had watched his team take a backward step at Burton Albion on Saturday.
Lewer felt that the inept showing in the 4-1 defeat was the worst display he had seen in his tenure at Forest Green and he will certainly be demanding a much improved showing when Stevenage Borough come to The Lawn this Saturday.
The defeat leaves Rovers second from bottom in the Conference, two points adrift of Northwich Victoria, who defeated fellow relegation candidates Farnborough. The Vics have now returned to the safety zone as they work off their 10-point deduction.
Rovers have now only won four points since January. The simple fact is that with 11 games to go Rovers need to pick up points or their seven season love affair with the Conference will be over.
Lewer may yet have to do without influential midfielder Scott Rogers, who lasted just 25 minutes on Saturday before leaving the pitch with a recurrence of a back injury.
Craig Dudley's brace helped Nigel Clough's Burton to the comfortable 4-1 victory in a game which saw the return to Forest Green of midfielder Hugh McAuley.
Boss Lewer named both McAuley and Chester City loan player Andy Harris in the starting eleven, but it made little difference.
Dudley got Albion off to a bright start after Dean Williams' initial block allowed Dudley a second chance to nose Clough's side ahead. Nonetheless, Rovers drew parity after McAuley and Kevin Rapley conjured up an opportunity for Mark Beesley to drive home from 20 yards. However, Albion regained the lead on 34 minutes through Dale Anderson and made it 3-1 on the verge of half-time again through Dudley.
Albion sensed more goals with Des Lyttle forced to deny Barry Miller. However, an offside flag denied Charlie Griffin, the Rovers substitute, but Albion cemented their comprehensive victory through Jon Shaw on 80 minutes.
Forest Green: Williams, Lyttle, Richardson, Searle, Davies, Rogers (Roberts 25), McAuley, Harris, Beswetherick (Griffin 53), Beesley, Rapley, Roberts (Gadsby 72).
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