Forest Green Rovers Women stormed to a 6-2 victory over Ilminster Town Ladies on Sunday afternoon to continue their pursuit for promotion out of the South West Premier Division.
Goals from captain Hattie Jones, Nynka Rucker, Holly Hughes and Louise Fensome ensured a fifth league win of the season for Neil Moore’s side to keep them within a point of the league leaders Sherborne Town Ladies.
The victory was a real statement of intent to the rest of the division which has really cemented Rovers’ place in the pool of teams gunning for the league title.
Whilst Rovers are on the course to better last season’s fifth placed finish and challenge for top spot, Head Coach Moore is under no illusions of the challenge ahead and is not looking too far into the future.
“We don’t look at the league we just concentrate on the next game,” started Moore.
“To be honest I’ve not looked at the league, I don’t want to look at it I just want to concentrate on our next game.
“If we keep looking after the matches then the league will look after itself.”
It was an impressive outing from Rovers who reached 21 league goals for the season during the convincing win.
Rovers have been tentative when trying to put teams to the sword this season but put on a ruthless showing on a return to their home of Hartpury College.
The ex-Charlton Athletic Ladies goalkeeping coach was critical of his side but saluted the way in which they raised their levels to make sure of a positive result.
Moore added: “It was good to get the goal difference up and it was also nice to give a few players minutes who have not been in the team lately.
“I didn’t think we started the game too well, but we always looked clinical in front of goal and as the game progressed, we kept the ball better and the goals started to flow.
“We came out fast (after the break) and scored the goal early and I thought that would’ve killed them off, but they did well to fight back.
“But that one at the end sealed it off.”
Moore became the new Rovers Head Coach back in July and has enjoyed a fruitful start to his tenure having lost just once in the league so far.
“If we keep looking after the matches the league will look after itself.”
FGR Women Head Coach Neil Moore
On looking back at the campaign Moore was full of praise for his squad but remained focus on their next game, the reverse fixture against Ilminster.
Moore continued: “It’s gone well so far. Apart from the blip when we lost to Torquay United, we’ve done really well.
“We have got a really good group of players. Not just the starting eleven but all the ones who are on the fringes as well.
“But we’re not getting ahead of ourselves we’re just always thinking about each game and now we look forward to Ilminster away.”
Rovers tasted promotion from the South West Eastern Division just two seasons ago, and as they reach the halfway stage of the 2022/23 campaign the goal is the same.
