Rob Edwards urges Forest Green not bow out of the title race with a whimper

Posted Sunday, May 01, 2022 by PA

Forest Green boss Rob Edwards urged his side not to bow out with a whimper and win at Mansfield next weekend as the race for the League Two title goes to the final day.

Harrogate proved to be the Forest Green promotion party poopers as Rovers relinquished top spot for the first time since September. With one game of the season to go new leaders Exeter top the table by a point.

Edwards said: “Psychologically we’ve found it hard after getting promotion at Bristol Rovers, but I thought we had it on Tuesday night at Swindon. We don’t want to go out with a whimper and credit to Exeter, but we know what we’ve got to do and go to Mansfield and win.

“I feel disappointed and today is a really strange feeling – such pride, but we had an opportunity to win and know what it would have meant. I thought we played well in the first half, but they got the first goal and the second goal knocked the stuffing out of us – we were flat and they deserved to win.”

Jack Muldoon put Harrogate ahead from the spot in the first half before Jamille Matt equalised with his 19th goal of the season, again from the penalty spot.

Sunderland loanee Jack Diamond regained Harrogate the lead a minute after the restart and substitute Lloyd Curry made it 3-1 after 72 minutes.

A high-octane first half saw Forest Green open with poise with Baily Cargill nodding wide from a Nicky Cadden cross and Jack Aitchison fizzing over from the edge of the box.

Rovers lost defensive kingpin Jordan Moore-Taylor in the 19th minute to a neck injury with Dan Sweeney coming on in his place.

Harrogate keeper Joe Cracknell kept the scoreline blank by clawing away a point-blank Matt header.

Harrogate nosed ahead against the run of play when Kane Wilson tripped Diamond in the box for Muldoon to send Luke McGee the wrong way from the spot after 40 minutes.

Rovers scored in first-half stoppage-time with Matt striking his 19th league goal of the season after Wilson had been tripped in the box by Town captain Warren Burrell.

A minute after the restart Rovers were caught cold and Diamond picked his spot from the edge of the box to regain the lead for Town.

Simon Weaver’s side made it 3-1 with 18 minutes left, substitute Kerry thumping the ball home.

Town boss Weaver expressed pride in his side’s performance.

He said: “It was a really good performance, the lads were outstanding, but it was an incredible decision against us for the penalty.

“We didn’t want that to be our focus at the break.

“I thought we played well in the second half and the way we kept the ball and passed it as well as we have, probably since the Leyton Orient game earlier in the season.”