Forest Green Rovers bounced back from derby day defeat with victory over Leyton Orient at the innocent New Lawn.
Odin Bailey opened the scoring for Rovers, but saw his effort cancelled out by Josh Wright just before the break. Matty Stevens found the back of the net in the final ten minutes to secure all three points.
Rovers started the game the brighter of the two sides – and in particular, Aaron Collins looked sharp on his return to the starting line-up.
The Welsh-forward used his quick feet to allow Scott Wagstaff to latch onto his through ball – but his attempt was comfortably saved by Orient stopper Laurence Vigouroux.
A rash challenge from former Rovers defender Jamie Turley on Collins presented the home side with the opportunity to take the lead – and in some style.
Wagstaff lofted the resulting free-kick into the area – which was met rather acrobatically by Jordan Moore-Taylor. In space and eager to impress, Odin Bailey collected the second ball and confidently fired home his first goal for the club, in his second spell.
The Birmingham City loanee almost added to his tally moments later. His free-kick within shooting distance on the edge of the area couldn’t quite dip over the wall – and it sailed over the crossbar.
Ross Embleton’s side managed to get back into the game just five minutes before the end of the first half. James Brophy’s pace down the left-flank proved to be a thorn in the side for Rovers – and after finding space, the winger picked out Josh Wright in the area who buried the ball beyond Luke McGee.
Rovers looked more comfortable in the opening stages of the second half – and came incredibly close to taking the lead. Matty Stevens sent in a low cross into the area destined for Jamille Matt – but the striker directed his effort slightly off target from close range.
With just over ten minutes on the clock, it was Mark Cooper’s side who looked the most likely to claim all three points. Stevens saw his close-range attempt cannon off the crossbar, before Vigouroux tipped behind Jake Young’s effort from the edge of the box.
And from the resulting corner, Rovers nudged themselves into a deserved lead. Bailey whipped the ball in the right – and substitute Stevens came sliding in at the far post to put the home side in front.
Forest Green XI: McGee, Wilson (Sweeney 90), Kitching, Winchester (c), Adams, Collins (Young 70), Matt, Moore-Taylor, Bailey, Wagstaff (Stevens 46), Godwin-Malife.
Unused subs: Thomas, Whitehouse, Bunker, March.
Leyton Orient XI: Vigouroux, Widdowson, Cisse, Happe, Clay, Wilkinson (Dennis 82), Brophy, Akinola, Turley, Johnson (Sotiriou 55), Wright (McAnuff 82).
Unused subs: Sargeant, Coulson, Maguire-Drew, Dayton.
Referee: Andy Woolmer
Man of the Match: Jordan Moore-Taylor
