Robbie Tops The Charts

Forest Green Rovers 3-1 Gateshead (National League)

I'm feeling a bit guilty cooking sausages for breakfast ahead of visiting the world's first vegan football club today. Forest Green are going well under Robbie Savage, third in the National League a point behind leaders Carlisle whilst their opponents this afternoon Gateshead are struggling this season in nineteenth, just six points above the drop zone.

Kick off time has been put back to 3:03pm which is a statement by the National League for their 3 up campaign. Many of the divisions clubs are in favour of an extra promotion place from next season but they need the Football League to vote it through. I wasn't sure at first as I quite like it being 'tough' to break into the 92 from non league football with their existing two up two down system but a quick glance at the top six in the table will tell you there's plenty of teams that will do well a division higher. I just wonder if those with self interests will give it the green light?

The extra three minutes in bed means I can drop the dog off at the in-laws for 11:03 this morning, the wife's out Christmas shopping so I'm on the road with no kisses goodbye, a two hour journey to the Cotswolds where I hope to get parked up in Nailsworth before the cavalry arrives. Not that I expect the biggest of attendances today, Gateshead fans are travelling a long round trip of 550 miles. They'll only have a handful here which makes parking in this small village much easier.

It's a lovely drive on a Saturday which I don't mind doing, nightmare midweek from my home in Nottingham, as you circle the south of Birmingham on the M42 to the M5. Sat Nav takes me down to J13 and through Eastington, up the Frocester Hill where it starts to get misty, the village of Nympsfield is stunning, set in stone, I'm down the Tinkley Lane through green fields below grey skies to the New Lawn. The road recently resurfaced probably because it gets so much foot fall due to football traffic on matchdays.

The Venue

I've actually drove past the ground and turned left on a housing estate where there's a parking space outside some flats near a bus stop which says Forest Green. Apparently the smallest settlement ever to host league football (FGR lasted seven years in the football league between 2017-24), the village of Nailsworth has a population of just under 6,000.

It feels there's more cars than people around here which is why the club are probably looking to move further afield, but I like it, village vibes on a matchday, as I walk up the quaint and quiet hill of Nympsfield Road, the odd scarf wearing fan following as I pass a school where some extra parking places are offered to those on the guestlist, the live music from the fanzone blearing out becomes louder, noisy drums and electric guitars playing rifts as people in their cottages watch their flat screen TVs in the warmth as smoke comes out their chimneys.

Through the gate there's a queue of cars, but the fanzone only has a few people splattered around, it's 1:30pm and I'm straight to the collections window to tell them my name. They've forgotten to print me out a ticket despite sending me an email yesterday, all sorted as the man behind the glass writes out my media pass, then into the stadium for a wee, before watching a bit of England U17's who are beating Korea 2-0 on the understand TV.

I half fancied a cuppa, but they only do oat milk in these parts. I ask the girl on the counter who tells me there's a touch screen system in place to take my order. I take a look at it. Chips and curry, a vegan sausage roll, some kind of mushroom burger, I'm still full from my breakfast, plus I had a bag of chocolate peanuts in the car, I can't be bothered with the hassle, so decide to walk up to my seat where there's an old friend, the Forest Green Rovers co-commentator for DAZN. I don't even know his name but he's a lovely lad, he knows his players at the level and we talk through the recent form of his club.

The view is terrific, homely, as I decide which seat to take, the press tables very tightly squeezed there's not much leg room but right of half way, you're elevated, two roofed standing areas behind each goal, an open end opposite where the away fans will suffer in the cold, hills in the back drop as a load of kids full kit wearing sat behind me in the executive boxes shout "Robbie, Robbie, Robbie" as Savage walks across the pitch.

It's like a Justin Bieber gig as screaming kids drown out anything I can hear from anyone, as I'm joined by a scout I know from Leicester who asks me "what are you doing in these parts?".

We get chatting about recent matches we've been to and hardly notice the time has drawn towards kick off, the two teams enter the field from the far corner, as the mist appears from the hills behind the ground.

The Game

Forest Green have this yellow and black almost leopard print number they play in, Gateshead are changed claret and blue, the colours you would probably associate more with near neighbours South Shields, but they have been wearing these colours for years when not in black and white, I need to one day find out why.

The visitors have only a splutter of hard core attendees in the stand opposite, they start well, aggressive, front foot, not giving their hosts an inch, FGR look off it, unsettled, not allowed time and space for their playmakers to get on the ball.

Robbie Savage has mixed it up again. Harvey Bunker who can play 'anywhere' seems to be doing a job at centre half? I can't work out whether Tom Knowles or Laurent Mendy is playing right back? It's all very fluid as they interchange when in possession, but one causing havoc down the left is Jili Buyabu who's terrorising Gateshead. He looks to be standing in an offside position as Jayden Clarke's low shot is saved by Brook. No flag, Buyabu prods home and gives Forest Green the opening goal.

That settles Savage FC as more kiddie cries for "Robbie, Robbie" are squealed behind me. "Stop shouting him he's trying to manage" says one of the young boys who at least has a bit of common sense and concern for those around.

Gateshead look a better team going forward than they do defensively as Rovers continue to pepper their goal, but there's a good chance when Kian Pennant tries to round the keeper, in the final third they have some technical and talented young players, Kain Adom also tries his luck, he's a player regularly in the National League goals, but at the other end their defenders struggle against a combative centre forward in Temi Babalola, he gets on the end of a Nick Haughton cross to beautifully diving head his third goal since joining the club from Worthing.

The Score

As the fog thickens ahead of half time Gateshead create two more opportunities which suggests they aren't completely out of it, first Jacob Butterfield in space inside the area forcing Isted into a save, he should score, then Kain Adom rockets a shot goal wards from 18 yards, tipped on to the post by the goalkeeper, a scare for the home side who would brush themselves off and go up the other end to make it three. Jayden Clarke looked offside, for the second time the hosts getting the rub of the linesman's eyes, Clarke is sent over the top before shrugging off a defender to slot home one on one.

That earned a yellow card for Ben Williams in protest. FGR have been the better team but in my opinion, two of their goals were very dubious indeed. It's a little harsh on Gateshead at half time, three down but they haven't defended well at all.

With results going their way, it looks like Forest Green Rovers are going top, as Carlisle are being held by Eastleigh, Boreham Wood are losing at home against Tamworth and even Scunthorpe are being battered by Solihull. The only concern is that thickening fog might put pay to their points, but the mist clears as the hosts continue to push for more goals, by now Tiernan Brooks is by far the busiest player on the park, Clarke has an effort saved, Bunker hits a post, McAllister drags a shot wide, Haughton, Whitwell and Babalola then test the goalkeeper's resilience again, the best save of the lot is from substitute Aidan Dausch who heads downwards at goal, Brooks palms away with the rebound cleared off the line, it's one way traffic as Gateshead look down and out, ready for their long trek home, but as the fifth minute of injury time approaches, Jacob Butterfield takes aim, he's around thirty yards out, left footed, whipping an effort over the goalkeeper for a consolation, hardly any noise heard as the ball ripples the net, Butterfield walks back to his half head down and no sooner do Forest Green restart, the full time whistle is blown.

The Stars

I'm mightily impressed with Forest Green left back Jili Buyabu who enjoys himself bombing on from his defensive position into forward areas all afternoon. He's quick and direct, full of energy, you can tell when a player has woken up the morning and said to himself "I'm up for it today".

Another star is another youngster in Harry Whitwell, a player on loan from West Brom who I've heard good things about, one aged 20 with high IQ, a midfielder good in tight spaces, seems to have that extra yard in his head, before he gets the ball he already knows what he's doing with it.

Abraham Kanu is solid at centre half, Nick Haughton busy in midfield, Jayden Clarke always a threat left forward of a three, but I did really enjoy watching Temi Babalola, I remember seeing him last season at Worthing and thinking he's a handful, he looks to be the perfect spearhead for FGR after failed attempts with Kairo Mitchell and Yahya Bamba leading the line. Babalola is your traditional front line attack, a battering ram who'll wrestle with defenders, who can score goals and take pressure off his team.

For Gateshead, I worry for them slightly, they have good young players, and decent experienced footballers, but seem to be lacking that bit in between. Tiernan Brooks was exceptional in goal, he's always very good when I watch him, David Ferguson is a solid left back with experience which is needed in a relegation battle, I thought Curtis Edwards was very good in midfield having been disappointed previously when he was at Notts County, 35-year-old Jacob Butterfield was the most influential architect but cannot do it alone, not a good day for Kain Adom who had a couple of pops in search of his tenth league goal this season, but was subbed during the later stages of the match.

Adom did look busy and for me has Gateshead's best goalscoring potential, Dom Telford, only a substitute, perhaps would ideally be a starter as I thought Kian Pennant on loan from Leicester and Josh Home recently signed from Birmingham shown glimpses, but against decent opposition were only mostly on the periphery.

The Verdict

Gateshead need their experienced players to stand up, and their not-so experienced stars to kick on, if they are to have a chance at avoiding the messy drop zone below, but in fairness, getting something at Forest Green was never realistically a target, they'll have more winnable games at home, and against those around them when away.

The Robbie Savage circus continues with same old success, he's taken to management like he's taken to the hearts of a nation through football media as a commentator and pundit, completely at home and using his flamboyant character to get the best of everyone around him, players, staff, fans, have all brought into his ethos, togetherness, his team has a real chance of promotion, and if he does succeed that will be two in a row for him, in only is first two seasons in football management.

The Teams

Forest Green Rovers: Harvey Isted, Tom Knowles (Tre Pemberton 69), Laurent Mendy, Abraham Kanu, Jili Buyabu (Neil Kengni 68), Harvey Bunker, Nick Haughton (Isaac Moore 74), Harry Whitwell, Kyle McAllister (Aidan Dausch 82), Temi Babalola (Christian Doidge 81), Jayden Clarke.

Gateshead: Tiernan Brooks, Fenton John, Ben Williams, Max Melbourne (Lucas Lowery 88), David Ferguson, Josh Home, Curtis Edwards (Harry Gettins 79), Harry Chapman (Callum Bone 89), Jacob Butterfield, Kain Adom (Dom Telford 79), Kian Pennant (Kyle Hurst 59).

3:03pm Kick Off. Saturday 15th November 2025, The New Lawn, Nailsworth (att: 2,386).