Forest Green Rovers continued their unbeaten start to the league season, as Jamille Matt’s second half strike was enough to secure a 1-1 draw with Walsall at the innocent [insert name here] stadium.

The visitors opened the scoring inside 15 minutes through Caolan Lavery’s header, but Rovers pulled it back just after the hour mark.

Mark Cooper named an unchanged side to the one that drew with Salford City last time out.

Josh March made a return to the bench however, as Taylor Allen missed out.

Rovers looked the more comfortable of the two sides in the early exchanges, as the rain beat down at the innocent [insert name here] stadium.

It took the hosts just seven minutes to carve out a first chance for Aaron Collins, the Welshman drifting away from the Saddlers’ backline and flicking Liam Kitching’s lobbed through ball into the hands of Liam Roberts.

Matt then had the opportunity to open his Rovers account as Nicky Cadden teed him up from a delicious Carl Winchester cross, but the big centre-forward was adjudged to have fouled the Walsall stopper.

It was, however, the visitors that went ahead.

With 14 minutes on the clock, Rory Holden’s cross from the left was met by Lavery and he made no mistake with a header into the corner.

Collins had another opportunity just before the half-hour mark, as he thundered a left-footed effort at goal, only to be denied by Roberts.

Matt was again close to finding the net as the half drew on, this time cutting in from the right and forcing a smart save from the keeper.

Rovers should have pulled themselves level with 49 minutes on the clock, as they were presented with the best chance of the game.

Collins worked a wonderful cross into the area, but Ebou Adams couldn’t keep his side-footed effort inside the base of the post.

The home side continued to turn up the heat, and Darrell Clarke had Roberts to thank for keeping his side ahead after 56 minutes, the keeper pulling out a great save to deny Collins from range.

Finally, Rovers’ pressure broke the Walsall backline with 62 minutes on the clock.

Collins was again involved, showing great feet in the area to make a yard of space before pulling it back to Matt for the finish.

It was almost the perfect 15 minutes for the Jamaican frontman, arriving at the back post from a 73rd-minute corner to see his volley well saved.

Just two minutes from time, Nicky Cadden latched onto the end of Scott Wagstaff’s back-post cross, but his volley had too much on it for Matt to turn home.

Referee: Anthony Coggins

Forest Green XI: McGee, Sweeney, Kitching, Winchester (c), Adams, Collins, Cadden, Matt, Moore-Taylor, Godwin-Malife, Richardson (Wagstaff 54’)

Unused subs: Thomas, Bernard, Stokes, Stevens, McCoulsky, March

Walsall XI: Roberts, Jules, Clarke (c), Scarr, Sinclair (McDonald 60’), Kinsella, Lavery (Adebayo 60’), Gordon, Nurse (Bates 46’), Holden, White

Unused subs: Norman, Rose, Penny, Osadebe

Match Sponsor: Tetbury Audi

Matchball Sponsor: First Choice Utilities

Man of the Match: Dan Sweeney