FOREST GREEN ROVERS 1

NEWPORT COUNTY 1

SERIAL draw specialists Forest Green made it eight stalemates from 12 league games in a tight affair against Newport County.

Rovers are now the only team in the EFL who are undefeated after Portsmouth were beaten today, Mark Cooper's side share their unbeaten tag with Premier League giants Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, who all remain undefeated this season.

Rovers side nosed ahead on 18 minutes. Dayle Grubb’s driving run and shot cannoned off County’s Scot Bennett and beyond the flat-footed Joe Day.

Michael Flynn’s Newport found their range on 38 minutes – Padraig Amond poking in from a Robbie Wilmott cross as Rovers conceded their first goal at home in open play this season.

Mickey Demetriou fizzed over the bar from the penalty spot on 64 minutes after Reuben Reid was penalised for handling.

Earlier, Cooper made two changes to the team that beat Cambridge United 3-1 on Tuesday night. Nathan McGinley and LIoyd James dropped to the bench with Gavin Gunning and Carl Winchester restored to the starting line-up.

Reverting to a back four, fifth-place Rovers were off the boil in the opening exchanges.

Winchester incurred a third-minute booking, but nine minutes later his sumptuous strike from the edge of thebox smacked the foot of Joe Day’s post after Grubb’s tenacity presented the opening.

Grubb is pivotal to Rovers’ miraculous start to the season and he played his part in Rovers’ 18th minute opener. Driving into the box his shot into the danger zone hit Bennett and beyond the bemused Day.

Having barely laid a glove on Rovers, Newport were growing into the boutt - Demetriou planting his header over the bar from a Robbie Willmott free-kick.

Only the alert Robert Sanchez kept Rovers’ noses in front- the Brighton loanee pouncing on the ball as Antoine Semenyo prepared to pull the trigger.

Newport netted parity on 38 minutes – Amond smashing in a Wilmott cross.

It was high-octane stuff. Rovers’ Reece Brown fizzing wide and then Reid turning and clipping the top of the bar.

Cooper tweaked his formation at the break – reverting to a back three.

And it was a breathless start to the second half. Sanchez denied Semenyo and at the other end Day blocked Liam Shepherd’s strike.

Drama ensued on 64 minutes – In a pin-ball frenzy, Reid was adjudged to have handled inside the box.

Cooper and the home crowd were incandescent with rage, but justice was served in Rovers’ eyes as Demetriou spanked the ball out of the stadium from the penalty box.

Grubb, always a threat, was a whisker from finding the bottom corner as the match swung from end-to-end.

Forest Green: ( 4-3-2) Sanchez; Shepherd, Gunning, Rawson, Mills; Digby, Brown (Worthington 72), Winchester; Grubb, Reid, Campbell (Morris 62) Bookings: Winchester 3, Reid 64

Newport County: (4-1-2-3) Day; Butler ,Demetriou, Franks, Forbes, Bennett, Bakinson, Willmott (Pring 71), Semenyo, Matt (Harris 90), Amond

Attendance: 3,081

Away: 941

Star Man: Dayle Grubb