B Team Preview: Forest Green Rovers vs Saints

THE MATCH
Forest Green Rovers vs Saints
Papa John's Trophy
The New Lawn Stadium
Tuesday 30th August, 7pm BST
For ticket details see below

After making an unbeaten start to their Premier League 2 campaign, Dave Horseman's side will look to carry their positive start to the season across to their opening group stage clash in this season's Papa John's Trophy. 

Sitting third in the table with three wins and a draw from their first four matches, Saints' youngsters will come up against a Forest Green side searching for form after their promotion from League Two last term. 

Losing manager Rob Edwards to Watford in the summer, new boss Ian Burchnall is without a league win since the opening day and enters Tuesday's showdown following a 5-0 thumping at Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend. 

For the visitors, a 1-1 draw with Norwich on Friday evening thanks to Jake Vokins's strike means confidence is high ahead of the trip to Gloucestershire.

LAST MEETING

The two sides met in the same competition in 2019/20, with Saints losing out in a five-goal thriller at The New Lawn. 

Harlem Hale gave the Saints the lead in the 16th minute, before Matty Stevens levelled it up before the break. 

In a lively second half, Dayle Grubb put the hosts ahead with 20 minutes remaining, before Dan Nlundulu looked to have salvaged a point with an 80th-minute equaliser.

However, Stevens was to have the last laugh with a last-minute winner to secure Forest Green all three points.

MANAGER'S NOTES

"I like the fact we’re getting different challenges. Winning three and four nil each week is not about development.

"The boys who played [last] Tuesday night [against Cambridge] would have been against physical men who are pulling off onto Lewis [Payne] and trying to win headers.

Sometimes academy football doesn’t offer you that, it offers beautiful football and spaces that actually aren’t there when they go to the next level."