Rob Edwards urges caution despite Forest Green closing in on promotion

Forest Green manager Rob Edwards has demanded his team finish the job before the celebrations can begin after victory over Oldham all but confirmed their promotion.

Rovers need only a point to secure League One football after first-half goals from Regan Hendry and Jamille Matt pushed Oldham deeper into the relegation mire.

Saturday’s game at Bristol Rovers provides the first opportunity, but Edwards urged caution.

“No, not up yet,” he said. “We want to get promotion first and see where it takes us with four games to go.

“It’s a good-looking game on Saturday and that’s the same for Bristol Rovers, but I don’t want to fall over the line, I want to sprint over it.”

Edwards was delighted to see his side react from their 4-0 drubbing at Barrow on Good Friday.

“The fans wanted to see a reaction from Friday and I thought we started the game on the front foot with lots of opportunities in the first half,” he said.

“The second goal was fantastic and I’m delighted for Jamille Matt.

“In the second half we had to stay compact and I was delighted to see the penalty go over the bar. The crowd were magnificent and we heard them and they got the extra yard from the players.”

Hendry’s deflected strike from the edge of the box squirmed through the fingers of goalkeeper Danny Rogers, who had suffered an early hand injury, to give the leaders an eighth-minute opener.

Matt headed home Nicky Cadden’s cross for the second and Christopher Missilou fired over the bar from a second-half penalty to leave Oldham staring relegation to the National League in the face.

Manager John Sheridan fumed: “I wanted to run on the pitch and grab the ball off him. We have more experienced players who could have taken it.

“I didn’t watch it. I’m not blaming him but it was a big moment in the game.”

With three games to play, Latics are four points adrift of relegation rivals Stevenage and Barrow, who both have a game in hand.

Sheridan admitted: “It is going to be very difficult, but I’ve got to have a bit of hope with three games to go.”