Forest Green Rovers reached the FA Cup first round in emphatic style, beating Chesham United 5-0 in a result Jonathan Gould described as a timely lift for the club.
The victory was Rovers’ first under interim coaching trio Gould, Yan Klukowski and Josh Bowen. It also secured a trip to Kenilworth Road to face League One side Luton Town, giving Forest Green the chance to test themselves against a club with recent Premier League pedigree.
Five different Forest Green players scored in a one-sided cup tie, with Bryan Ifeanyi setting the tone by striking after just nine seconds. D’Mani Mellor, Freddy Sass, Kyle Kelly and Tate Campbell completed the scoring on a five-star night for Rovers.
A fast start sets the tone
Gould said the team had been told to make an impact during the opening 10 to 15 minutes, and Ifeanyi’s early goal delivered exactly that. The quick start put Forest Green in control and was followed by further goals as the scoring was shared across the team.
Sass added the second, with the report describing his effort as a shot that went in off the underside of the bar. Mellor then found the net before substitute Kelly scored within a minute of coming on. Campbell added the fifth despite having been instructed to concentrate on holding the back line rather than pushing forward.
Gould said the spread of goals was particularly pleasing, highlighting the contributions of Sass, Kelly and Campbell after the match. The win provided a clear response after Forest Green had failed to turn chances into goals in recent league fixtures.
“I think it’s probably a tonic for us,” Gould told BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s Billy Hunt.
He added that the team had created opportunities in the previous three or four matches but had not taken them. Against Chesham, Forest Green converted those chances and also protected their own goal.
Clean sheet adds to the satisfaction
The 5-0 scoreline gave Rovers a clean sheet as well as a place in the next round. Former Celtic goalkeeper Gould said that defensive achievement mattered to him and the players, particularly after Kelly cleared an effort off the line and Luke McNicholas made an important late save.
“Having been an ex-goalkeeper, you do pride yourselves on clean sheets,” Gould said.
The result was also a first win for the interim management team, but Gould made clear that the club’s league form remains the main measure of progress over the season.
“We want to go and start winning league games,” he said. “That’s what ultimately the club’s judged on over a season.”
Busy schedule before Luton tie
Forest Green must first return their attention to league football. The club faces an away trip to Barrow this weekend, followed by matches against Eastleigh and Harrogate. Those three significant tests are scheduled across a 10-day period, making recovery a key part of the preparation.
“Recovery is just going to be just as important as what we do on the training field,” Gould said.
The Luton match offers a major cup occasion, but Gould stressed that there is substantial work to complete before then. He said keeping supporters engaged through a cup run was important while insisting the team’s immediate objective is to start collecting league wins.
Forest Green’s FA Cup first-round victory was watched by an attendance of 529, including 64 visiting supporters. The next round will take Rovers to Luton’s Kenilworth Road, where Gould believes his side should approach the tie believing an upset is possible.
“Yeah, of course. That’s what we’ve got to set the boys up to do, but there’s a lot to go on before that.”
