Forest Green’s first game under Steve Cotterill ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat to Accrington Stanley at The New Lawn.

Both sides’ most recent outing came against Gillingham, with Rovers picking up a 1-1 draw and Accrington Stanley falling to a 2-1 defeat.

The first effort on goal came ten minutes in after Callum Jones found the head of Matty Stevens, but he couldn’t generate the power needed to beat Radec Vitek.

A few minutes later, it was once again Jones finding Stevens, this time with a low drilled ball across the six-yard box, but Stevens saw his effort go just wide.

With 20 minutes gone, the visitors were awarded a penalty after a collision in the box between Ryan Inniss and Alex Henderson. Jack Nolan stepped up and fired past Luke Daniels to give his side the lead.

Almost immediately after, the ball fell to Fankaty Dabo after a surging run by Manny Osadebe was eventually stopped. Dabo’s shot-turned-cross travelled all the way across a dangerous area, but there was no-one to poke it home.

Just before the half-hour mark, Dabo laid the ball off to Jones who tried his luck from distance, and he forced a good save out of Vitek who parried clear.

In the 39th minute, a free-kick that wasn’t properly dealt with fell to Osadebe who fired goalwards, but it didn’t trouble Vitek in the Accrington goal.

A few minutes before half-time, a free-kick from Charlie McCann could only be tipped over by Vitek. The resulting corner found Inniss at the back-post, who headed back across and nearly found Stevens, but it was headed behind once again, with this corner coming to nothing.

It would end up being the last chance of the half, and Rovers went into the break with work to do.

Straight from kick-off, Rovers almost drew level. Dabo found Osadebe who had a go, but it was wide of the mark.

Lewis Shipley had a pop from distance 51 minutes in, but it was wide of Daniels’ goal.

It was then a quiet spell for both sides with neither goalkeeper being tested. Dom Thompson had a go in the 63rd minute, but his deflected effort was wide and the corner was dealt with by the visitors.

Thompson then had another effort from a free-kick shortly after, but he couldn’t find the target.

With just over 15 minutes to go, a great run from Robson was followed by an equally good ball which found Stevens, but his close-range effort went wide.

In the 90th minute, a corner found the head of Inniss who directed his shot goalward, but it was deflected away by an Accrington Stanley head, with the corner coming to nothing.

Rovers are back in action next weekend with a visit to Colchester United. Ticket information be found, here.

Forest Green: Daniels (G/K); Bernard (Oyedele 68’), Inniss, Moore-Taylor (C), Robson; Jones Brown 68’), McCann, Osadebe (Taylor 87’); Dabo, Stevens, Thompson.

Accrington Stanley: Vitek (G/K); O’Brien, Hills, Gubbins, Shipley; B. Woods, Martin; Henderson (Conneely 52’), Pritchard (C), Nolan (Baghuelou 52’); J. Woods.

Star man: Dominic Thompson.

Attendance: 2,238 (125).