Forest Green Rovers edged out Oldham Athletic at The Bolt New Lawn, a result that secures their place in the play-off semi-finals. In a closely fought contest, a solitary goal proved decisive, leaving Oldham to settle for an assured play-off quarter-final spot.
The first half was a cautious affair, with both teams struggling to penetrate well-organised defences. Forest Green were forced into an early substitution when Harvey Bunker replaced Cian Harries in the 29th minute, a tactical change that perhaps indicated manager Steve Cotterill’s concern with the game’s direction. Neither side managed to create any clear chances, and the score remained 0-0 at the half-time interval.
The deadlock was broken five minutes into the second half. Charlie McCann scored for Forest Green Rovers, with Joe Quigley providing the assist. Oldham responded quickly, making a series of substitutions in an attempt to inject some much-needed impetus into their attack. Joe Pritchard replaced Oli Hammond in the 51st minute, followed shortly after by Joe Garner’s introduction for Mike Fondop-Talum. Micky Mellon continued to reshuffle his options, bringing on Kian Harratt and Reagan Ogle just after the hour mark.
Forest Green also made changes, with Tom Knowles replacing Jordon Garrick in the 72nd minute, with the aim of strengthening their midfield and maintaining their narrow lead. Oldham’s final substitution saw Corry Evans replace Vimal Yoganathan in the 77th minute. As time dwindled, Forest Green replaced Joe Quigley with Harry Cardwell in the 82nd minute, further reinforcing their defensive efforts.
Tempers flared towards the end of the match, with Joe Garner receiving a yellow card in the 89th minute for a foul. Forest Green then made two late substitutions, bringing on Emmanuel Osadebe for Kyle McAllister and Teddy Jenks for Liam Sercombe, to see out the remaining minutes.
Ultimately, Forest Green held on to secure a crucial victory. This win confirms their place in the play-off semi-finals, a significant achievement after 45 games, leaving them third in the league with 82 points. Oldham, despite the defeat, are secure in a play-off quarter-final position, currently sitting fifth with 70 points. While the head-to-head record marginally favoured Oldham prior to the match, the day belonged to Forest Green.