Newport travel to the New Lawn to face Forest Green Rovers this Saturday in the match week four of League Two. With both teams with at least one win under their belt, they’ll be looking to get another and climb the standings.
Forest Green currently sit 20th in League Two after three games. With just one win and two losses they sit much too close to the relegation zone with a form that they’ll hope to improve this weekend. Though their goal difference is among the worst of the league, Forest Green haven’t conceded too many despite their two losses, the fault lying more at their shyness in front of goal.
Forest Green’s opening game against Salford City left a lot to be desired. An early second half goal from Conor McAleny and an added time goal from Matt Smith gave Salford the 2 - 0 win on opening weekend. However, Forest Green did pick up their first win of the campaign the following game away at Harrogate Town. Despite an even match, Mathew Stevens scored early in the second half and Forest Green held out for the 1 - 0. In the First Round of the League Cup, Forest Green came up against Portsmouth and even though Rovers took the lead through Tyrese Omotoye, a brace from Kusini Yengi and a goal from Zak Swanson gave Portsmouth the 3 - 1 win.
In their most recent game, Forest Green travelled to Swindon. Stevens gave Rovers the lead but Daniel Kemp scored just after half time levelling the game before Harvey Bunker was sent off. Fraser Blake-Tracey scored in the 94th minute to give Swindon the 2 - 1 win.
Newport aren’t fairing much better than their opponents this weekend in the league standings. The two clubs are on level points with just three in the possible nine. Newport sit two above Forest Green due to a marginally better goal difference having conceded seven but scoring six.
Newport’s first game out this season was away to Accrington Stanley. Goals from Jack Nolan, Shaun Whalley and Korede Adedoyin gave Accrington the 3 - 0 win as Newport could only manage two shots on target for the whole 90 minutes. Newport’s first home game of the season was a much better showing. Seb Palmer-Houlden, a Will Evans double and Doncaster’s Richard Wood gave Newport the 4 - 0 win over Doncaster. Newport were also successful in the First Round of the League Cup against League One Charlton. Daniel Kanu put Charlton ahead before halftime but a second half goal fest for Newport with Aaron Wildig, Evans and Palmer-Houlden all scoring to give Newport a 3 - 1 win.
Newport also had a miserable last outing with their trip to Crewe. Evans and Henry Charsley were on the scoresheet but it wasn’t enough as Crewe ran riot and put four past Newport for the 4 - 2 win.
This fixture is a relatively young one, the first meeting coming back in 2017 and only happening 13 times. Forest Green have won on six occasions whereas Newport have only won three times. There have only been four draws in this fixture, one of those coming in the last two meetings and may come again this weekend.