Three outstanding goals underpinned Forest Green’s position at the top of League Two after a 3-1 victory over Salford.
Nicky Cadden’s stunning free-kick cancelled out Brandon Asante’s first-half opener before Kane Wilson’s fine individual strike and substitute Jack Aitchison’s neat finish won it for the table-toppers.
A breathless first half saw Rovers’ Ebo Adams plant a second-minute free header wide from an exquisite Wilson cross. Baily Cargill’s audacious lob from just inside the Salford half almost caught out the retreating Connor Ripley as Rovers turned up the heat.
However, it was Salford who took the lead on 16 minutes. Against the run of play, Asante brought the ball down in the box to switch his feet and rifle the ball beyond Luke McGee.
Rovers responded – Matty Stevens induced a fine parry from Ripley from Wilson’s cross. On the cusp of the break, Cadden bent a free-kick over the wall and into Ripley’s top corner for his fifth goal of the season.
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A tight second-half was punctuated by a sumptuous Wilson strike – picking the ball up just inside the Salford half he embarked on a buccaneering run to slip his marker and plant a sprawling strike from just inside the box to beat Ripley all ends up with 19 minutes to go.
Aitchison wrapped things up in stoppage-time – driving into the box and planting the ball home from a Jamille Matt assist.