Forest Green Rovers vs Harrogate Town. Sky Bet League Two.
The innocent New Lawn StadiumAttendance1,695.
Saturday 13 January 2024 18:50, UK
Harrogate made it back-to-back Sky Bet League Two wins with a 2-0 victory over struggling Forest Green.
Goals from Jack Muldoon and Abraham Odoh gave the visitors all three points against 10-man Rovers.
Defeat left Troy Deeney winless in six matches as Forest Green boss and his side dropped to the bottom of League Two.
A mix-up between debutant goalkeeper Tommy Simkin and defender Dom Bernard gave Harrogate a free-kick 20 yards out but George Thomson's strike deflected narrowly wide in the first half.
Alex Rodriguez was then sent off after being given a second yellow card for a late challenge on the dangerous Odoh just after the half-time break.
Minutes later Odoh drilled a low delivery across the six-yard box and it was diverted into the net by forward Muldoon six yards from goal.
Matty Stevens was denied a superb solo goal at point-blank range by former Rovers goalkeeper James Belshaw.
Town winger Odoh then doubled the Harrogate lead when Matty Daly's cross-field pass found the winger before he side-footed past Simkin into the far corner.
Forest Green's Troy Deeney:
"If I was able to tell you the amount of nonsense you have to deal with at this place from the players, it is embarrassing.
"I was trying to cosy my way into it, but the sledgehammers are going to have to come out and there will be a lot that won't like it - I don't care.
"My job is to save this football club in the short term and put it in a better place. At the moment, there are too many babies from top to bottom.
"Reece Brown is 28-years-old and my senior midfielder and can't turn up to work on time. That's a simple one but Reece is my senior leader of pros and that's what he does. What example does that set?
"It's a continuation of nonsense. It won't be tolerated."