16/2/08 - Forest Green Rovers v Stafford match preview

Stafford Rangers will be looking to build on Saturday's win at home to Weymouth and the good performance in Tuesday's abandoned game at Histon when they visit Forest Green Rovers.

It will be second meeting between the teams in just over a month after Rangers defeated Rovers 2-1 at Marston Road in the FA Carlsberg Trophy.

Forest Green go into Saturday's game in 7th position in the Blue Square Premier table with 51 points from 31 games. But they are currently in a bit of a goal drought with one goal in the last four games but at the same time have three clean sheet from these last four games. So expect a tight game at the New Lawn. Apart from a 2-4 defeat at the hands of Bristol City in the Senior Cup, Forest Green haven't scored more than one goal in a game since the end of December.

Like Tuesday's game at Histon, Neil Grayson and Kevin Street face the decision of whether to keep an unchanged side. There will be a change on the bench following David McNiven's departure to Farsley Celtic on loan. Matt Hazley may be fit enough to return to the squad.

Forest Green are likely to give a debut to new loan signing Ishmael Welsh, signed on an initial one-month deal from Yeovil Town. Simon Clist is unlikely to feature and Mark Beesley was sold to Cambridge United last month.

Stafford and Forest Green have met on five previous occasions. Forest Green have won all three league meetings, including a 3-1 win at Marston Road earlier in the season, while Rangers have won both games in the FA Trophy.

From the North (M5): Leave M5 at Junction 13 (s/p Stroud A419). Follow A419 to Stroud, then on meeting A46, follow signs for ‘Bath, Nailsworth A46’. After 2-3 miles you’ll pass the Crown Inn on the RHS, then a petrol station on the left-hand side. In the centre of Nailsworth there’s one mini-roundabout; turn right into Spring Hill. Go up hill and continue along this road, which becomes Nympsfield Road, for approx 900 yards. The ground is on the left-hand side at the new roundabout.