Forest Green Rovers suffered their first defeat of the season as they fell to a narrow 2-1 loss at Port Vale.

The game burst into action early on and both sides had found the net after six minutes, Richie Bennett opening the scoring before Joseph Mills levelled things up.

Despite a spirited display in the second half from FGR, it was David Amoo's strike shortly before the break that was the difference on the day.

Manager Mark Cooper made three changes to the side that completed a 1-0 win over Grimsby Town three days earlier.

Aaron Collins, James Morton and Junior Mondal were all given a starting spot and while travelling with the side, Shawn McCoulsky was rested from the squad.

Despite a quick start for Forest Green, their fortunes took a turn for the worse just four minutes in.

David Worrall’s searching cross from the right got between Joe Wollacott and his back line, and Bennett was able to stoop and head the bouncing ball into the roof of the net from six yards.

The Valiants weren’t ahead for long though, captain Joseph Mills leading by example to capitalise on James Gibbons’s heavy touch inside the area before racing inside and slotting the ball into the bottom corner. His right-footed strike restoring parity after less than two minutes of being behind.

Back in the side, Aaron Collins was looking very sharp, and he almost found the net with a low, zipping effort after 14 minutes. Brown was equal to it though, getting down quickly to push the ball clear of his bottom-right corner.

Bennett went in search of his second of the evening just before the 20-minute mark, but Wollacott reacted quickly as the big striker’s powerful effort took a deflection.

Wollacott was called upon again with 27 minutes on the clock, as he had to gather a bouncing header after David Worrall climbed above Udoka Godwin-Malife at the back post.

It was the hosts who would go into the break ahead though, summer signing Amoo netting his second of the season, as he had space and time to lash home on 33 minutes after Cristian Montano’s ball to the back post.

It could have been another instant response from Rovers with Dom Bernard scampering down the right two minutes later, but Junior Mondal couldn’t repeat his achievements from Saturday as he slid the ball wide of the near post.

Tom Conlon went close to doubling his side’s advantage eight minutes before the break, but the midfielder could only watch as his skittering effort travelled just wide of the bottom corner.

The hosts rattled the woodwork into added time at the end of the first half, Gibbons trying to make up for his earlier error by curling an effort toward the top corner only to see it skim off the bar into the Rovers fans behind the goal.

Mark Cooper’s attacking intent was clear at the break, bringing on forward Taylor Allen for full-back Dominic Bernard.

Morton let fly the first effort of the second half, but his long-range strike was always rising and flew harmlessly over Brown’s crossbar.

Allen could have played the hero’s role again, as he did on opening day, but Joseph Mills’ viciously whipped cross from the left flashed just to far in front of the young striker and behind for a goal kick.

Impressing in the heart of midfield once more, Morton’s next effort was a lot more dangerous, curling a left-footed effort against the gloves of Brown from the corner of the area.

Amoo could have sealed the deal with a little over a quarter of an hour to play as a turnover on the halfway line saw Vale pour forward.

Bennett drove at the box, before finding Amoo on the overlap but the winger rushed his finish and blasted an excellent opportunity over the bar on an angle.

Wollacott had to produce his save of the game after 79 minutes as Vale heads went up from a corner and the Rovers stopper had to show cat-like reflexes to parry the ball out before the hosts somehow failed to stab the ball home.

With Rovers throwing everyone forward, the hosts caught them out and could have applied the icing on the cake but Wollacott was sharp off his line to deny Worrall as he raced through 1-on-1.

A late chance fro Rovers saw them play pinball on the edge of the area, but nobody could get a clear shot away and Vale were able to clear.

Port Vale XI: Brown, Gibbons, Crookes, Joyce, Legge, Worrall, Conlon, Montano (Lloyd 78’), Smith, Amoo, Bennett (Pope 84')

Unused subs: Kennedy, Cullen, Evans, Burgess, Maddison

Forest Green XI: Wollacott, Bernard (Allen 46’), M.Mills, Winchester, Collins (Stevens 81’), Adams, Morton, McGinley, Godwin-Malife, J.Mills (c), Mondal (Grubb 63’)

Unused subs: Thomas, Rawson, Dawson, Kitching

Referee: Ross Joyce

Attendance: 4,010 (104 away)

Man of the Match:

Next up: Bradford City, Valley Parade, Saturday, August 24