Prolific strikers Matty Stevens and Jamille Matt both netted as Forest Green thrashed Tranmere 4-0 to move 10 points clear of their nearest rivals at the top of League Two.
Stevens and Matt bagged typical poachers’ goals to put the visitors 2-0 up at half-time and the win was sealed thanks to superb finishes from Jordan Moore-Taylor and Regan Hendry.
The opener came in the sixth minute when former Tranmere loanee Kane Wilson found his way in behind Calum MacDonald and crossed to Stevens, who swept the ball home for his 16th goal of the season.
Initially shaken by conceding so early, Tranmere did start to come back into the game only for Matt to convert Nicky Cadden’s cross for his 17th league goal of the campaign, doubling Forest Green’s advantage three minutes before the break.
Any hopes of a turnaround were ended by Moore-Taylor’s effort in the 53rd minute and Hendry soon put the icing on the cake, firing beyond Ross Doohan from the edge of the box after a cross was only half cleared.
It could have been worse for Tranmere but Doohan managed to save substitute Josh March’s penalty with pretty much the last kick of the game.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
Line-ups
Tranmere
Formation 4-4-2
- 25Doohan
- 2Dacres-Cogley
- 26ClarkeBooked at 90mins
- 4Knight-Percival
- 3MacDonald
- 7Morris
- 8SpearingSubstituted forHawkesat 59′minutes
- 22O’Connor
- 21McPake
- 12JolleySubstituted forNevittat 45′minutes
- 10Hemmings
Substitutes
- 6Merrie
- 13Murphy
- 14McManaman
- 15Hawkes
- 16Glatzel
- 20Nevitt
- 24Hayde
Forest Green
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1McGee
- 22Godwin-Malife
- 15Moore-Taylor
- 6Cargill
- 2Wilson
- 7Stevenson
- 21HendrySubstituted forSweeneyat 77′minutes
- 11Cadden
- 10Aitchison
- 14MattSubstituted forMarchat 77′minutes
- 9StevensSubstituted forBernardat 64′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Bernard
- 4Sweeney
- 18Young
- 23Diallo
- 24Thomas
- 25McAteer
- 28March
- Referee:
- Lee Swabey
- Attendance:
- 10,924
Live Text
-
Match ends, Tranmere Rovers 0, Forest Green Rovers 4.
-
Peter Clarke (Tranmere Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
-
Second Half ends, Tranmere Rovers 0, Forest Green Rovers 4.
-
Penalty saved! Josh March (Forest Green Rovers) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
-
Penalty conceded by Lee O’Connor (Tranmere Rovers) after a foul in the penalty area.
-
Penalty Forest Green Rovers. Josh March draws a foul in the penalty area.
-
Foul by Calum MacDonald (Tranmere Rovers).
-
Josh March (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
-
Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Lee O’Connor.
-
Corner, Tranmere Rovers. Conceded by Luke McGee.
-
Attempt saved. Josh Hawkes (Tranmere Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Elliott Nevitt.
-
Attempt saved. Nicky Cadden (Forest Green Rovers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kane Wilson with a cross.
-
Jack Aitchison (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Lee O’Connor (Tranmere Rovers).
-
Dan Sweeney (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Kane Hemmings (Tranmere Rovers).
-
Attempt missed. Josh March (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Kane Wilson with a cross.
-
Foul by Jack Aitchison (Forest Green Rovers).
-
Calum MacDonald (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Substitution, Forest Green Rovers. Dan Sweeney replaces Regan Hendry.
