Matchday Guide|Forest Green (H)

1 April 2024

Crewe Alexandra will resume their promotion push when they host Forest Green Rovers this afternoon (Monday, 3pm).

Lee Bell’s men will be looking for maximum return at Mornflake Stadium, after picking up a hard-fought point at Gillingham on Friday.

The Opposition

Forest Green are bottom of League Two and fighting to avoid back-to-back relegations.

They have lost their last three games, including a 3-0 defeat to Stockport County on Friday.

The Gaffer

Steve Cotterill is the third permanent manager at the New Lawn this season after taking over in late January. Before him, David Horseman and Troy Deeney had the reins.

Cotterill has vast experience having previously managed the likes of Burnley, Portsmouth and Stoke City over his 28-year coaching career.

Fighting Talk

Lee Bell: “We have to put a plan together regarding Forest Green, how we are going to stop them and work out who is available on the medical side. It will be an intense game and we have to put a performance on, concentrate on what we are going to do."

Steve Cotterill: “The players need supporting through this. It's very difficult and they are only young men. Let’s hope that we can rest and recuperate and turn them around quickly for a game at Crewe."

Head-to-Head

The two sides have met six times, with Crewe winning three of the meetings. Forest Green have won twice.

The Alex earned three points at The New Lawn earlier in the season, as goals from Christopher Long, Elliot Nevitt and Courtney Baker-Richardson (2) did the damage.

Match Officials

Geoff Eltringham is the man in charge of our Easter Monday clash. Mark Dwyer and Ryan Williams will accompany him as assistanta. Benjamin Speedle will be the fourth official.

Eltringham has handed out 89 yellow cards and two red cards in the 22 games he has taken charge of this season.

Ticket Details

Click here to buy your tickets for Crewe versus Forest Gree.

How To Find Us

For details of how to get to Mornflake Stadium via rail or road, click HERE.

Can’t Make the Game?

Can't Make The Game?

Crewe fans in the UK and around the world can watch the clash with Forest Green live on iFollow.

An iFollow match pass for Crewe fixtures includes graphics and replays – all for just £10 (or local equivalent).

The action is complemented by commentary from the BBC Radio Stoke team of Graham McGarry and Peter Morse.

Click here to secure your iFollow match pass today and make sure you don’t miss a minute of the contest.

Alternatively, you can listen to LIVE commentary on iFollow - CLICK HERE to purchase an Audio Match Pass for just £2.50!

Elsewhere in League Two

Grimsby v Bradford; Harrogate v Gillingham; Mansfield v Accrington; Morecambe v Barrow; Newport v Crawley; Notts County v MK Dons; Stockport v AFC Wimbledon; Sutton v Swindon; Tranmere v Colchester;Walsall v Salford.

Match Reports

Match Report | Crewe 0 Forest Green 3

1 April 2024

Railwaymen beaten on Easter Monday
Three first-half goals do damage
Alex remain sixth in League Two

Crewe Alexandra were beaten 3-0 by Forest Green Rovers at Mornflake Stadium.

A disastrous 15-minute spell in the first half saw Jordan Garrick score twice and Jamie Robson add another.

The Railwaymen appeared to have the ball in the net through a brilliant Charlie Kirk volley but the officials did not give it.

And Elliott Nevitt and Shilow Tracey went desperately close as the hosts tried desperately to fight back.

But they could not gain a foothold. Crewe stay fifth in League Two, and Forest Green remain bottom.

Lee Bell made four changes to the side that drew at Gillingham, with recalls for Lewis Billington and Kirk, as well as first starts after injury for Matus Holicek and Christopher Long.

Ryan Cooney, Zac Williams and Aaron Rowe dropped to the bench, while Conor Thomas was rested completely.

Crewe started in an ultra-attacking 3-4-3 formation, with Shilow Tracey at wing back.

Forest Green, who had the vast experience of Ryan Inniss and Richard Keogh as part of their back three, hit the front on 14 minutes when they won the ball high up the pitch and Christian Doidge squared for Garrick to finish.

Crewe almost levelled immediately, but keeper Vicente Reyes blocked Long’s shot-on-the-turn from close range.

Rovers skipper Jordan Moore-Taylor cleared away from under his own bar after Long looped a header goalwards, and Billington blazed over soon after.

On 26 minutes, it was 2-0 when Inniss got up highest to meet a corner and Garrick was on hand to deflect home in front of keeper Tom Booth.

And on 28, it was three. A super cross from Charlie McCann was guided home by the head of Robson.

Bell made a double change, swapping the injured Ed Turns and Josh Austerfield for Leigh and Cooney, and switching to a back four.

Emmanuel Osadebe saw a shot cannon back off a post, while Holicek fired over the bar after a short corner at the other end.

Crewe started the second half well and applied pressure. Nevitt could have got one back but he headed straight at Reyes after meeting a Kirk cross.

A brilliant volley from Kirk looked certain to have crossed the line but the officials controversially didn’t give it, then the same player brought a smart stop from Reyes.

Cooney looped a volley on target, and the visitors somehow survived when Rowe crossed for Tracey a few yards out.

Long-range shots from Rio Adebisi, Lewis Leigh and Rowe came to nothing as the clock ticked down.

Crewe (3-4-3): Booth; Turns (Cooney, 34), Demetriou, Billington; Adebisi, Austerfield (Leigh, 34), Holicek, Tracey; Nevitt, Kirk (Williams, 77), Long (Rowe, 46).

Subs not used: Davies, Agius, Woodcock.

Booked: Nevitt, Kirk, Adebisi

Forest Green (3-4-3): Reyes; Innis, Keogh, Moore-Taylor; Thompson, McCann (Maddox, 90), Osadebe (Bunker, 90), Robson; Doidge (Dabo, 94), McAllister (Jones, 64), Garrick (Omotoye, 64).

Subs not used: Searle, Bernard.

Booked: Inniss, Osadebe, Jones

Referee: G Eltringham.

Attendance: 5,478 (179).