Forrest Green Rovers claimed all three points thanks thanks to a Reuben Reid strike.

A deflected goal by Reid in the 70th minute was enough to cap off a dominant display at The New Lawn as Forest Green claimed their first home win of the season.

Mark Cooper made just one change to the side that drew at MK Dons a week ago as Tahvon Campbell came into the side in place of Dayle Grubb.

Forest Green Rovers were first out of the starting black at The New Lawn and inside 30 seconds they had an opportunity to open the scoring. Having earned his first league start of the season, Campbell was clearly keen to make an impression and, having done brilliantly to win the ball back he set up Joseph Mills but the defender’s effort from the edge of the area was well saved.

At the other end of the pitch, Robert Sanchez had to wait until the eighth minute of the encounter to get his first taste of the action, getting down low to parry Ollie Palmer’s skimming effort from the edge of the area. George Francombe was able to race in to try and finish on the rebound, but Sanchez once again did well to recover and deny the Crawley man.

Campbell was once again amongst the action with 16 minutes on the clock as he tried to capitalise on Liam Shephard’s drilled cross but Lewis Young was on hand to slide in and brilliantly block the cross.

FGR were beginning to show their dominance going forward but with 20 minutes played it was Crawley who had the next chance. Filipe Morris testing Sanchez from range but the keeper was equal to the driven effort and pushed it wide.

The strike force of Reid and Campbell was proving effective and shortly before the half hour mark the former almost opened the scoring in style but his delicate lob from the edge of the area dropped just over the bar.

Lloyd James was next to have a crack at goal for the hosts as, following a quick one-two with Reid on the edge of the area, he tried to curl an effort inside the far post. His effort though, didn’t have quite enough whip to sneak into the corner with Glenn Morris beaten.

The final chance of the first half once again fell to James as he latched on to Reid’s nod-down from the right, but the midfielder snatched at the chance and sliced his shot wide.

Sporting the captain’s armband, Reece Brown was, as usual, pulling the strings in the midfield but with the hour mark approaching he began to get forward as well. With 55 minutes on the clock Winchester rolled the ball into his path but Brown’s effort was tipped wide well.

One minute before the hour mark, Campbell looked to have given his side the lead as he fired an effort from inside the area through the legs of the Crawley stopper but the ball came to rest on the line and Crawley were just about able to clear.

Twenty minutes from time, Forest Green’s hard work came to fruition. Brown played an excellent ball into the feet of Reid on the edge of the area and the striker demonstrated great skill to turn and fire an effort, via a deflection, over the keeper.

With 82 minutes on the clock, Rovers had an unbelievable chance to double their advantage as Shephard got on the end of a Mills cross but couldn't direct it home from the edge of the six-yard box.

As the game headed into added time the visitors were dealt a blow as Joe McNerney was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence following a tackle on George Williams.

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