Harvey targets Rovers resurgence

Advertisement

Interview: Forest Green manager Jim Harvey

Forest Green Rovers manager Jim Harvey hopes his side can take their FA Cup form into the Blue Square Premier and climb away from the relegation zone.

Rovers pushed Championship outfit Derby all the way, finally going down 4-3 to a late penalty in the third-round tie.

Harvey said: "We've a lot of young boys who have not played in a game like this so they can learn from the experience.

"Hopefully in the weeks and months to come they'll develop and improve and we'll get better as a team."

Having started the season well, Forest Green's form fell away in the autumn and they now find themselves in a relegation battle.

But they will take confidence from their first foray into the FA Cup third round in front of a packed house at the New Lawn.

Rovers led twice against Derby and were three minutes away from earning a replay at Pride Park in a performance which made a mockery of their league position.

"I think for the first time all day they opened us up and Darren Jones was caught chasing two attackers," Harvey said of the build-up to Derby's 87th-minute spot-kick winner which saw defender Jones sent off.

606: DEBATE I'm sure - especially as you have a good manager coveted by bigger clubs - that you will climb out of the relegation zone John Clement

"I wish he hadn't bought the lad down because now we're going to lose him for a few games. No complaints about the penalty and the sending off, I'm just disappointed because we're going to lose him."

Rovers were 2-0 up inside 20 minutes with goals from Jonathan Smith and Alex Lawless, and despite being pegged back before the break went ahead again on 76 minutes through Paul Stonehurst.

"We were well worth the lead, our football was very good and the goals were excellent," added Harvey.

"The disappointment was we didn't defend the set pieces and let them back into it before half time.

"But for everyone involved with Forest Green it was a magnificent day. The place was sold out, the boys played a terrific game of football and pushed Derby all the way. Everybody can look at this game and performance with a bit of pride."