Vegans One Butchers Nil

Forest Green Rovers 1-0 Oldham Athletic (National League)

It's a big weekend for me. Forest today, Forest tomorrow, as the Reds take on Manchester City in the FA Cup at Wembley on Sunday, I'll be there, as a fan, but first at work, the Greens take on Oldham Athletic in the National League at the New Lawn.

Both teams have already reached the playoffs as we enter the penultimate round of the regular season. Steve Cotterill's FGR have 79 points with two games to play, they are third and assured of a semi-final spot. Nicky Mellon's Latics fourth on 70 points will get to play off before potentially taking on either Forest Green again or York City, who have guaranteed finishing second behind champions Barnet who have already gained promotion back to the Football League.

It's a two and a half hour drive to deepest rural Gloucestershire so I set off at 11am, cloud covering the overcast skies with glimpses of sunlight peering through as I head cross country down the M42 with a spring in my step this late April Saturday brunch.

I'm off the M5 at junction 13 and through the pretty town of Stonehouse before heading up the Selsey Hill and driving past the earthy looking Selsey Common through the idyllic valley village of Woodchester before hitting the small town of Nailsworth where I drive up some scary single track lanes skimming sandstone made house walls with Go Green signs up in their gardens as I pass nose bleed bending tight hilly roads that I dare not drive up again.

The Venue

Finally arrived without scratches on my car, just, parking is not great in this part of the village, cones set out on roads around the ground, but there's a little housing estate which has succumbed to Saturday football needs, I park on the corner of a close where I chat to an Oldham fan from Cheltenham before walking up the Nympsfield Road towards the ground.

There's the sound of drums, music playing in the background, a band on in the school field nearby and a rock band on in the tent outside the ground as I collect my ticket and have a wander around, the club shop packed full of green things, people outside marvelling in the atmosphere, drinking beer, eating pizza, vegan made of course.

As it's Oldham's last away game of the season there's plenty of fans in fancy dress, I spot a couple of Mario brothers before noticing a team of butchers in whites and red aprons, very funny, a meaty joke in these parts.

On entrance via the Main Stand I noticed the lawn is lush, pitch in spanking condition with sprinklers on, I grab a cup of tea from under the stand before forgetting they only do oat milk here, than I wander up to my seat in the press area behind the Oldham radio team.

It's a lovely ground, as I tell the Forest Green social media updater, just a nightmare to get to, the stand I'm in is large and seated with corporate boxes at the back, opposite is largely open ended with an odd looking roofed seated section for around 50 fans perched to my left, behind each goal are covered areas for standing, housing home support in both.

The Game

It's a tricky one to call today as neither team have much to play for but sizing out the opposition ahead of a potential playoff game against each other next month.

Oldham look quite attacking in personnel and have a bit of the ball early on, Tom Pett in particular their stand out enforcer in midfield, he rolls the ball around easily on the magnificent lush carpet, Forest Green are solid in all areas, out wide they offer danger through the talented Kyle McAllister on the right, in their midfield they have Charlie McCann who like his opposite number Pett, is small, agile, neat in play and hugely talented, standout for the level he's at.

Despite the quality on show in the middle of the park, there's not much opportunity as two teams nullify each others threat, the only sparks of note coming from the mouth of Forest Green Manager Steve Cotterill who's up in the stands today, behind us, shouting down at his players from the executive boxes.

Cotterill is serving a touch line ban after a red card last week for kicking the ball at an official, it's funny because last time I was here in October, he was serving a ban, shouting orders from behind us against York, he easily gets his message across just ten or so rows up from his usual seat down below, which seems to make you wonder if banning him from the touchline is indeed worth it at all?

The Score

As fans around me start to niggle and moan at the lack of action the board goes up for five added in the first half, a head injury to Forest Green defender Cian Harries saw him receive lengthy treatment before being substituted early on, to prolong what is a largely miserable half further, but on the stroke of half time Joe Quigley wriggles through some challenges on the edge of the Oldham box, before playing to McCann, who takes aim right footed and curls a beauty into the corner of Matt Hudson's net.

A goal from nothing, from not the games best player, but the best player on the pitch, McCann has been relatively quiet, but when needed, his class shines through.

The second half you feel the home side improve, on the front foot in search of a second, they have a lot of the play, Oldham hardly lay a glove as a succession of home corners leads to little.

Forest Green do have their moments though, their best to double advantage on 70 when McAllister weaves his usual magic this time from the left, inside the Oldham area to lay everything on a plate to Sercombe who has the open goal at his mercy, the number ten blazing over from six yards out, what could potentially have been a guilt edged miss.

It matters not however, as despite some late Latics pressure, Jamie Searle's goal is hardly ever tested during the whole 90, the defence in front of him proving too solid for Oldham to breakthrough, they'll have to play better than that, if they are to meet again.

The Stars

Charlie McCann has the honesty and elegance you need to be a top player. A pedigree of Manchester United and Rangers too. The best player in the division? He's certainly in the conversation and at 22 can no doubt get back into the football league and rekindle his shining light. A lovely central midfielder to watch.

A close second in the ability stakes is Kyle McAllister. He's been around a bit longer aged 26, the former Scottish U21 star can do damage on either flank, electric from the right, he switched in the second half to cause more Oldham misery on the left, he has pace and is direct, loves to run at opponents defenders.

Also on the left is another Scottish footballer and a very good one at that. Jamie Robson is determined and decent on the ball, he likes to get forward but also knows how to defend, the former Dundee United full back keeping first Ollie Hammond and then Jes Uchegbulam, well at bay.

Oldham didn't have their best day, their star players in advanced roles weren't particularly on it. Mike Fondop is the Latics top scorer and although he battled, he often came off second best against a big resilient centre half in Greens skipper Ryan Innis.

Tom Pett perhaps the only player to walk off the pitch in blue having really impressed me with his subtle touches in midfield, but youngsters Will Sutton and Vimal Yogananthan played with honesty and shown at times good technique. Sutton is a defender who can play centre half or right back. Yogananthan a creative midfielder on loan from Barnsley. Tall and awkward looking he has good feet, although on the day, not a lot came off for him, or his team-mates for that matter.

The Verdict

As I packed up my laptop bag to leave the stadium, the tannoy announcer read aloud 'Vegans one Butchers nil' as a jesting jibe towards those that came in fancy dress.

Should the two sides meet again, I see another close contest, but I do think Forest Green have that beefy edge. They are the best team I've probably seen in the National League this season. A better team than Barnet and York, for me, just lacking that striker needed to see them over the line, which has evidently cost them being top of the lot.

The Teams

Forest Green Rovers: Jamie Searle, Sean Long, Ryan Innis, Kyle McAllister (Emmanuel Osadebie 88), Charlie McCann, Liam Sercombe (Teddy Jenks 90), Jamie Robson, Adam May, Joe Quigley (Harry Cardwell 83), Jordan Garrick (Tom Knowles 72), Cian Harries (Harvey Bunker 28).

Oldham Athletic: Mathew Hudson, Mark Kitching, Tom Pett, Shaun Hobson, Mike Fondop-Talom (Joe Garner 55), Tom Conlon, Charlie Raglan, Jes Uchegbulam, Will Sutton (Reagan Ogle 65), Ollie Hammond (Joe Pritchard 51), Vimal Yogananthan (Corry Evans 77).

3:00pm Kick Off. Saturday 26th April 2025, The New Lawn, Nailsworth (att 2,801).