Forest Green Rovers fell to a 2-0 defeat to Crawley Town at the Broadfield Stadium in West Sussex.
A goal from Danilo Orsi and a second-half finish from Klaidi Lolos gave the three points to the Red Devils.
On the defeat, Rovers boss Steve Cotterill said: “We looked tired today, we didn’t have that spring in our step that we had in there the other night or Saturday. It looked like it was our third game in a week, all of a sudden you go and make wholesale changes, I don’t think that would’ve worked either today. We did not start the game bright enough; I thought in the first-half we looked leggy today.
“It’s understandable with what the boys have had to do this week. Even winning the other night, even though it is a bonus and you want to build on top of that, the emotion that would have drained out of them would have been huge, so the bottom line is we weren’t good enough today because we didn’t have enough energy.”
The Rovers made two changes at the half-time interval with Manchester United loanee, Maxi Oyedele and Harvey Bunker entering the field of play. On the system change, Cotterill said: “I think you need to play both (three at the back or four at the back), it is not about landing on or landing on another really.
“I have played 3-4-1-2 wherever I have been, I have played 3-4-2-1 and I have played 4-3-3, the only one we haven’t played is 3-4-2-1. We will try and assess who we have got.”
At 1-0, Forest Green had a massive penalty appeal for a handball with just eight minutes to go. On the referee’s decision not to award a penalty, Cotterill said: “Normally what happens is the players all appealed and so did our supporters. So, my gut feeling is it was handball, I haven’t managed to look back at it, I have just gone back and looked at the two goals and where they have come from really because we had good possession.
“I haven’t seen the handball, but normally your initial reaction would’ve been once the players have gone up and the supporters over that side, that it would’ve been handball. It would’ve been an important time to get that as well and the keeper has made an unbelievable save from Christian Doidge’s header right at the death.”
The Gloucestershire-based side remain without their goalkeeper, Luke Daniels, he has been replaced by emergency loan signing, Vicente Reyes. On Reyes, Cotterill said: “We have had a preliminary conversation about that, but to be honest there hasn’t really been time. We have been preparing for another game, but I thought that he did well again today. I don’t think there is any blame attached to him for any of the goals.”
The Rovers’ next game is at home to Tranmere Rovers after their emphatic 4-0 win over league leaders, Stockport County.
Crawley Town: Addai; Wright, Conroy, Ransom; Tsaroulla (Gordon 56), Williams, L.Kelly, J.Kelly (Forster 56), Darcy; Campbell (Lolos 56), Orsi (Roles 73).
Forest Green Rovers: Reyes; Inniss, Keogh, Robson; Dabo, McCann, Osadebe, Thompson, McAllister (Bunker 46); Stevens (Oyedele 46, Omotoye 80), Doidge.
Referee: Benjamin Speedie.
Attendance: 2838 (242 away).
