Match ends, Forest Green Rovers 0, Plymouth Argyle 1.
Forest GreenForest Green Rovers0PlymouthPlymouth Argyle1
Forest Green fell to only their second home defeat of the season as Plymouth knocked the leaders off their League Two perch.
Midfielder Antoni Sarcevic struck the only goal of the game in the first half to send Rovers tumbling to their first home loss since August.
In a high-octane first-half, it was Plymouth who threatened first - Joel Grant failing to get enough purchase on a teasing Byron Moore cross after Sarcevic conjured the opportunity.
Rovers boast a miserly defence, conceding just 10 in 16 games, but they were breached in the 24th minute and it was Sarcevic who opened Rovers up.
The Plymouth playmaker punished some sleepy defending from a short corner to slalom across the box and arrow a deflected strike beyond the flailing Joe Wollacott.
Rovers looked for parity and almost found it deep into first-half stoppage-time. The scrambling Alex Palmer got a finger on an arrowed Joseph Mills cross which dropped over the crossbar.
Plymouth remained resolute after the break as Rovers knocked on the door. Carl Winchester found the head of Matty Stevens, which fell to Jack Aitchison, but the midfielder watched his powerful drive fly over.
Six minutes of added time saw Plymouth hold on with Rovers going close through Ebou Adams and Liam Shephard.
Report supplied by PA Media
Line-ups
Forest Green
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Wollacott
- 3BernardBooked at 45minsSubstituted forMillsat 85'minutes
- 6Rawson
- 20KitchingBooked at 30mins
- 23MillsSubstituted forMcGinleyat 45'minutes
- 14Adams
- 7Winchester
- 2Shephard
- 9Stevens
- 29Aitchison
- 10Collins
Substitutes
- 5Mills
- 15Morton
- 18Dawson
- 19McGinley
- 22Godwin-Malife
- 24Thomas
- 28Taylor
Plymouth
Formation 3-1-4-2
- 24PalmerBooked at 90mins
- 5Wootton
- 6Canavan
- 3Sawyer
- 25Grant
- 8EdwardsBooked at 83mins
- 7Sarcevic
- 10Mayor
- 21McFadzeanSubstituted forRileyat 45'minutesSubstituted forTelfordat 69'minutes
- 16GrantSubstituted forTaylorat 84'minutes
- 17MooreBooked at 31mins
Substitutes
- 1Cooper
- 2Riley
- 9Taylor
- 11Telford
- 20Randell
- 32Cooper
- 39Rudden
- Referee:
- Sam Purkiss
- Attendance:
- 3,897
Match Stats
Home TeamForest GreenAway TeamPlymouth
- Possession
- Home58%
- Away42%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away1
- Corners
- Home10
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away17
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Forest Green Rovers 0, Plymouth Argyle 1.
Booking
Alex Palmer (Plymouth Argyle) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt missed. Matt Mills (Forest Green Rovers) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Jack Aitchison with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Byron Moore.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Liam Shephard (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Farrend Rawson.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Matt Mills (Forest Green Rovers) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Matt Stevens.
Post update
Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Danny Mayor.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Ebou Adams (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Matt Stevens.
Post update
Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Scott Wootton.
Post update
Attempt missed. Liam Kitching (Forest Green Rovers) header from very close range is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Jack Aitchison with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Josh Grant.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Ebou Adams (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by Carl Winchester (Forest Green Rovers).
Post update
Antoni Sarcevic (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ebou Adams (Forest Green Rovers).
Post update
Dominic Telford (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Forest Green Rovers. Matt Mills replaces Dominic Bernard.
Substitution
Substitution, Plymouth Argyle. Ryan Taylor replaces Joel Grant.
Booking
Joe Edwards (Plymouth Argyle) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
