ROVERS FIRST OUTING STARTS WITH A WIN

FROME TOWN  0 – 3 FOREST GREEN ROVERS

Report Supplied by www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk

FOREST Green impressed in their first pre-season outing in Somerset, with goals from Jon Else, Isaac Shaze and trialist Ollie Cleaver enough to sink Frome Town.

Rovers fielded different teams either side of the break, with ex-Millwall trainee Ryan James on trial in central defence in the first half.

Two more trialists got their chance in the second period in former Bournemouth man Callum Hart, who lined up at left-back, and one-time Cheshunt midfielder Cleaver.

Work commitments ruled out forwards Steve Davies and Reece Styche, while Mike Fowler must get the all-clear from his knee specialist before eturning to action.

Rovers’ opening goal on six minutes was beautifully crafted. New signing Ian Herring’s slide-rule pass picked out Else, who worked space to finish into the bottom corner.

More neat build-up created a sight of goal for Shaze, but the Ghanaian sliced wide of the mark.

The chance that came his way four minutes later was far more difficult, but this time he picked his spot from 20 yards and smashed into the top corner.

Frome nearly fell further behind on the half-hour when new Rovers defender Luke Jones soared to meet Else’s corner and headed wide.

The hosts could not keep possession for any sustained periods, and James Baldwin thought he had punished them with a prodded shot that came back off the foot of the post.

Just before the break Rovers fashioned another opening, but winger David Accam’s near-post shot was saved by Hartpury College colleague Tom Pass in the Frome goal.

Two minutes after the restart it was 3-0, Cleaver sweeping home from the edge of the area to round off another flowing move.

Hartpury striker Max Etheridge saw a cross-shot skim the crossbar before Frome finally mustered a meaningful attempt on 66 minutes, Matt Minnis turning well for a shot that deflected over.

It was a false dawn for the Zamaretto League outfit, and only point-blank blocks by Pass and Simeon Allison prevented Etheridge from increasing Rovers’ winning margin

Frome Town: T. Pass; M. Reaney, J. Cheeseman, J. Metcalfe, S. Allison; L. Ballinger, D. Evans, A. Lapham, B. Thomson; M. Minnis, R. Hulbert; Subs: M. Peters, D. Macey, N. Flower, J. Billings, J. Jordan, M. Smith, D. Chitty.

Forest Green: J. Bittner; J. Hodgkiss, L. Jones, R. James, S. Bartlett; J. Else, J. Baldwin, I. Herring, D. Accam; I. Shaze, R. Dyer; Subs: G. Carlin, J. Winter, C. Henry, C. Armstrong, C. Hart, L. Smith, O. Cleaver, N. Hancock, B. Pugh, L. Fowler, M. Etheridge, T. Boakye, B. Kwarteng, J. Nortei.

Referee: R. Court                                          Attendance: 175

Star man: Jonathan Else