Mark Cooper hails ‘outstanding’ Forest Green after taking point at MK Dons

Mark Cooper hailed his Forest Green side as “outstanding” after they extended their unbeaten start to the League Two season with a battling 1-1 draw at MK Dons.

Rovers trailed for much of the match but Reuben Reid’s penalty 10 minutes from time gave them a point, their sixth draw in eight games this year after substitute George Williams was felled.

Boss Cooper felt his side deserved more however, despite Chuks Aneke giving Dons the lead on the half-hour.

“Everyone who has seen that performance will know what we are all about. I thought we were outstanding,” he said.

“Our substitutes are as important as anyone in the side. They have to come on and either create or score or save a goal and today they gave us more drive.

“We deserved more than we got but you don’t get three points for playing lovely football. You have to make sure that you don’t make silly mistakes.

“Sometimes the starting XI can’t quite get us the goal so I made the substitutions to give us that little bit extra.

“We played similar football to the kind MK fans are used to here, particularly under (former manager) Karl Robinson, but Paul Tisdale will get them drilled to win a lot of games.

“They are a functional side who don’t concede many goals, but it’s a long time since a Forest Green side has been on such an unbeaten run.”

Rovers and Dons are the only two sides yet to lose so a draw almost seemed inevitable, though Aneke had other ideas when slotting in after Robert Sanchez spilled a cross.

But it was the visitors who dominated, Paul Digby and Joseph Mills going close before Jordan Moore-Taylor’s foul allowed Reid to level up.

Not that boss Tisdale could fault his side’s effort.

“Forest Green played extremely well and it wasn’t a great day for us,” he admitted. “We weren’t in the best place but they have played superbly well.

“It’s a point. I feel disappointed after leading for such a long time but things didn’t quite feel right.

“The one thing I can say is the players tried their absolute socks off. It is a point and we have to move forward again and draw a line under this game.

“It was a well-taken goal by Chuks Aneke. He was a threat for us and had a couple of chances to make it two.

“The only thing that Lee Nicholls has not done today is save the penalty which nobody would have saved.

“We’re still unbeaten but it’s clear to everyone that we have to improve – and I’m confident we will do so.”