Forest Green Rovers 2-1 Coventry City

Forest Green Rovers secured a league double over Coventry City to boost their survival hopes and dent the visitors' promotion bid.

Captain Lee Collins' powerful drive into the top corner won it for the Gloucestershire side, who moved out of the League Two relegation zone.

Loanee winger Alex Bray's debut goal gave the hosts a half-time lead, as he tapped in on the rebound, before Marc McNulty's second-half penalty had levelled for Coventry.

For the Sky Blues, defeat ended their run of three straight wins in all competitions and saw them slip out of the play-off places.

The visitors would have expected to push on for a winner after McNulty's 13th league goal of the season just before the hour mark, as he netted from the spot after Reuben Reid's foul on Liam Kelly on the corner of the box.

Mark Robins' men went close in both halves, but it was Josh Barrett's sixth-minute curling strike that forced the match's strongest save from Forest Green goalkeeper Bradley Collins.

However, the first senior goal of Bray's career and Collins' first goal for Rovers were enough to give Mark Cooper's side a valuable third straight home win.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Forest Green

• 1Collins
• 2Bennett
• 16Gunning
• 20Rawson
• 32Hollis
• 31BraySubstituted forWishartat 73'minutes
• 34OsbourneSubstituted forClementsat 63'minutes
• 5Collins
• 8Grubb
• 9Doidge
• 26ReidSubstituted forCampbellat 82'minutes

Substitutes

• 3Laird
• 10Brown
• 12Simpson
• 17Wishart
• 22Clements
• 25Campbell
• 30Belford

Coventry

• 1Burge
• 2GrimmerSubstituted forMcDonaldat 31'minutes
• 4Willis
• 12DaviesSubstituted forHaynesat 70'minutes
• 3Stokes
• 30Bayliss
• 8Doyle
• 6KellyBooked at 38mins
• 27Barrett
• 9BiamouSubstituted forClarke-Harrisat 64'minutes
• 10McNulty

Substitutes

• 5McDonald
• 7Vincenti
• 13O'Brien
• 16Beavon
• 18Clarke-Harris
• 24Haynes
• 26Shipley

Referee:

Darren Handley

Attendance:

3,623

Match Stats

Home TeamForest GreenAway TeamCoventry

Possession

Home55%

Away45%

Shots

Home8

Away12

Shots on Target

Home4

Away4

Corners

Home6

Away8

Fouls

Home12

Away11

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Forest Green Rovers 2, Coventry City 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+7'

Second Half ends, Forest Green Rovers 2, Coventry City 1.

Posted at 90'+5'

Foul by Chris Clements (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 90'+5'

Jordan Willis (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+4'

Lee Collins (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+4'

Foul by Liam Kelly (Coventry City).

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt saved. Dayle Grubb (Forest Green Rovers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt saved. Christian Doidge (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt saved. Liam Kelly (Coventry City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt blocked. Tom Bayliss (Coventry City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Chris Clements (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 90'

Jonson Clarke-Harris (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 85'

Foul by Dale Bennett (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 85'

Liam Kelly (Coventry City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 83'

Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Rod McDonald.

Posted at 83'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Substitution

Posted at 82'

Substitution, Forest Green Rovers. Tahvon Campbell replaces Reuben Reid.

Posted at 81'

Delay in match Chris Stokes (Coventry City) because of an injury.

Posted at 79'

Attempt missed. Jonson Clarke-Harris (Coventry City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left from a direct free kick.

Posted at 78'

Marc McNulty (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 78'

Foul by Chris Clements (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 78'

Foul by Daniel Wishart (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 78'

Liam Kelly (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 75'

Haydn Hollis (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Jonson Clarke-Harris (Coventry City).

Substitution

Posted at 73'

Substitution, Forest Green Rovers. Daniel Wishart replaces Alex Bray.

Posted at 71'

Foul by Christian Doidge (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 71'

Ryan Haynes (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution

Posted at 70'

Substitution, Coventry City. Ryan Haynes replaces Tom Davies because of an injury.

Posted at 70'

Haydn Hollis (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Jonson Clarke-Harris (Coventry City).

Posted at 68'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 67'

Delay in match Gavin Gunning (Forest Green Rovers) because of an injury.

Posted at 66'

Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Haydn Hollis.

Posted at 66'

Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Haydn Hollis.

Goal!

Posted at 64'

Goal! Forest Green Rovers 2, Coventry City 1. Lee Collins (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Dayle Grubb following a set piece situation.

Posted at 64'

Reuben Reid (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 64'

Foul by Liam Kelly (Coventry City).

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, Coventry City. Jonson Clarke-Harris replaces Maxime Biamou.

Substitution

Posted at 63'

Substitution, Forest Green Rovers. Chris Clements replaces Isaiah Osbourne.

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