Forest Green Rovers’ failure to convert a series of clear opportunities proved costly as Boston United claimed a 3-1 win in a match manager Robbie Savage felt should have been settled in his team’s favour before half-time.
The defeat ended an undefeated three-game sequence for Rovers, which had included a midweek point at Carlisle. Although Forest Green created more than enough chances to win, Boston’s goalkeeper Louis Chadwick made several important saves and the visitors were more clinical when opportunities came their way.
The result has also left Savage considering whether striker Jose Marquez should return from his loan spell at fellow National League club Worthing. Marquez has scored three goals in five starts for Worthing, including the winning goal against Hartlepool on the Saturday before the Boston match.
Marquez recall being considered after another wasteful display
Forest Green are missing Ricardo Rees for the long term, leaving Savage concerned that his side currently lacks a forward capable of finishing the chances it creates. D’Mani Mellor had two major opportunities, while other openings were also missed during an afternoon in which Rovers repeatedly reached promising positions.
“Do we look to bring Jose (Marquez) back now from his loan because he’s got three goals?”
Savage said the team had players willing to make the necessary runs and get into scoring positions, but acknowledged that the final touch had been missing. He pointed to Rees’ injury as an important reason for the current problem and said the coaching staff had to find a solution.
Mellor’s most memorable miss came shortly after the restart. Kyle McAllister delivered a dink and Kelly’s cross opened up what the report described as a guilt-edged chance, but Mellor stooped and sent his header up and over an unguarded goal.
Despite the miss, Savage did not single Mellor out for blame. He said an opponent may have got a touch that put the striker off, while also accepting that the chance should have been converted. The manager’s assessment was that nobody intended to miss, but that Rovers needed to be more decisive in one-on-one situations and in front of an open net.
Boston took an early lead before Clarke equalised
Boston needed only 44 seconds to go ahead. Tom Cursons broke through and comfortably rolled the ball beyond Forest Green goalkeeper Ethan Ross.
Rovers responded almost immediately. Two minutes after Boston’s opener, Jayden Clarke fired into the net from the edge of the penalty area to restore parity and give Forest Green further encouragement.
The home side continued to threaten during an eventful first half. Mellor’s effort was scooped off the line by Jake Rooney after McAllister had helped open up the defence. On 19 minutes, Boston goalkeeper Chadwick produced a point-blank save to deny Tate Campbell after Nicholas Pozo had been dispossessed by Sean Etaluku.
Clarke then struck the crossbar from 35 yards in the 26th minute. Savage later said the number of chances created meant the game should have been “dead and buried” by the interval, although Boston had also shown its own danger at the start of both halves.
Penalty and late corner move settle the match
Boston regained the lead six minutes after half-time. Forest Green defender Gabe Kircough was judged to have touched Cursons inside the penalty area, and the Boston forward sent Ross the wrong way from the resulting penalty to score his second goal.
Savage questioned the defending during the incident, saying Kircough had been in a position to win the ball but had allowed the Boston centre-forward to use his strength and get on the wrong side of him. He said he did not usually complain about penalties, but described the decision and its consequences as frustrating.
Forest Green tried to find another equaliser, but Chadwick again intervened. A close-range effort from Phil Filozofe Mabete was kept out by the Boston goalkeeper, who Savage suggested may have been a contender for the match’s man-of-the-match award.
Boston then extended its advantage with 15 minutes remaining. Lennon Wheeldon turned the ball in from a corner delivered by Georgie Gent to make it 3-1.
Wheeldon had gone close earlier, failing to get enough purchase on a cross into the danger area with 22 minutes left. Only a superb recovery tackle from Mabete denied him the chance to increase Boston’s lead on another occasion.
Savage criticises defending but backs his players
The Rovers manager said the attacking wastefulness was not the only reason for the defeat. He felt the defensive display was well below the level shown during the unbeaten run, with Boston’s goals exposing mistakes that had not been evident in recent matches.
Savage said Boston’s centre-forward had led the line exceptionally well, occupied Forest Green’s centre-halves and made life difficult for the defence. He described Cursons as the difference between the teams, while also praising Boston for putting its bodies in the way of shots and for the quality of Chadwick’s goalkeeping.
He also acknowledged that Boston could have scored more after the break. Wheeldon missed from six yards and had another one-on-one opportunity denied by a block from Mabete, but Savage maintained that Forest Green’s first-half chances meant the contest ought to have been out of reach before Boston’s second goal.
Despite the disappointing result, Savage said the supporters recognised the number of opportunities created and continued to back the team. He described the squad as a “great group” and “great bunch of lads”, while insisting that the players and coaching staff would keep working to improve their finishing.
“And again, it’s on me. It’s on me to make this team take the chances and the coaching staff.”
Jayden Clarke was named Forest Green’s star man in the match report and received an eight rating. Clarke, Etaluku and McAllister were among the Rovers players who helped create openings, but Boston’s finishing, Cursons’ influence and Chadwick’s saves ultimately decided the afternoon.
The immediate question for Savage is whether Marquez’s scoring form at Worthing can provide the answer to a problem that has become increasingly difficult to ignore. Any decision on the striker’s loan, however, is not stated in the supplied report.
