Mark Cooper believes in-form strikers can keep Forest Green up

Posted Sunday, February 25, 2018 by PA

Forest Green manager Mark Cooper has challenged hot-shot striker Christian Doidge to hit 30 goals this season and help keep Rovers in League Two.

Rejuvenated Forest Green made it five-straight home wins as they shocked League Two in-form side Crawley Town.

Top scorer Doidge made it 2-0 on 24 minutes, touching home a Dayle Grubb cross for his 21st goal of the season after strike partner Reuben Reid opened the scoring on 10 minutes.

Rovers should have added to their two-goal cushion after the break with Dayle Grubb and Reid hitting the bar and post.

“Doidge can get 30 goals for sure,” revealed Cooper.

“He is a natural, confident finisher and my expectations will not faze him. With the two boys up front, we always have a chance of scoring a goal. Defenders are very weary of them and I think if you ask the majority of defenders in League Two who are the best strikers, those two would feature high up.”

Crawley had previously won eight out of their last 10 matches, and Cooper was delighted with the way his side managed their attacking threat.

He added: “It was a good performance. We had a strict way how we wanted to play and go about things and try and nullify Crawley’s attacking threats.

“We had to come up with something very special to contain them and fair play to the players, they got it nearly spot on.

“Crawley had one chance through Jimmy Smith and Brad Collins has made a great save in the first half.”

Rovers are now six points clear of the drop zone in a tightly packed bottom half of the division but Cooper is mindful his improving side need to maintain their upward curve.

“We have to keep going, you see the results at the bottom of the league and some teams are starting to come into form. You have to make sure you keep picking up points and what it has done is drag more teams above us into it.”

Meanwhile, Harry Kewell was full of praise for Mark Cooper’s side.

“Forest Green were full-on deserved winners,” admitted Kewell.

“They were smart and organised and have two great strikers up front, who scored a goal each.

“I don’t think we looked like scoring. I don’t think we had a shot on target in the second half.

“We were poor, I thought Forest Green were excellent. They have two quality strikers up top and they won the game in the first 10 minutes. They weren’t real clinical goals, but good strikers’ goals.

“We had one or two chances to get back into the game, but other than that we were second best.

“The way we have been playing recently, people have taken notice, but we will learn from this and take the challenge up. We have to be more cute and move the ball better in certain areas.”