Fresh from their 5-0 demolition of Altrincham on Saturday, Eastbourne Borough make the journey to Gloucestershire on Tuesday night (September 21) to take on Forest Green Rovers in their latest Blue Square Bet Premier clash.
Borough have not lost to Forest Green in their four previous meetings (three wins and one draw) and will be keen to follow-up the mauling of Alty with another strong display at the New Lawn. Garry Wilson’s side are once again the division’s most lethal attack – but their defence will need to at their very best again with two familiar faces set to lead the Forest Green attack.
Former Eastbourne Town striker James Norwood and ex-Bognor forward Ben Watson are both on-loan at Rovers from League One club Exeter City. Norwood, 19, was born in Eastbourne and was a regular goalscorer both for local independent school St. Bede’s and in Ryman League Division One South for Eastbourne Town, before signing professional forms with Exeter in July 2009. He made his Grecians debut as a substitute against Leeds at Elland Road in August 2009 but has found first-team opportunites limited, and last season spent a successful loan spell at Ryman Premier outfit Sutton United.
Watson, 24, began his career as a junior at Brighton but was at his most prolific at Bognor Regis Town, enjoying several tussles with Borough in Blue Square South. He stepped up a division with Grays Athletic in 2007 and signed for Exeter a year later. However, injury has restricted his development at St. James Park and he will now be looking for more regular first-team football at Forest Green.
The bare statistics show that Forest Green are unbeaten at home so far this season (one win, three draws) and Borough have yet to win away (one draw, three defeats). But with Borough buoyant after their thrashing of Altrincham, and Rovers smarting after defeat at Barrow, the stage is set for a cracking encounter at the New Lawn.
In last season’s corresponding fixture, Borough went ahead through Matt Crabb’s 39th minute strike but Paul Stonehouse scored a late equaliser to earn the hosts a point.
