SALFORD CITY 0 FOREST GREEN ROVERS 0

DESPITE their dominance, Forest Green were forced to settle for a point at fellow title protagonists Salford City.

Earlier,  boss Mark Cooper revealed wing-back Kane Wilson is set for two months on the sidelines after a training ground injury left him with extensive ligament damage. Jayden Richardson came in after arriving on loan from Nottingham Forest earlier this week, meaning Dom Bernard dropped to the bench.

From the get-go, the mercurial Aaron Collins set the tone as he picked out Jamille Matt, who drew a neat stretching response from Salford keeper Vaclav Hladky.

Liam Kitching dug Rovers out of a hole as his tackle prevented former Leeds United striker Tom Elliott the opportunity to break the deadlock after Carl Winchester had relinquished the ball.

Rovers were conjuring chances as they predictably bossed possession against a Salford side tipped to be amongst the front-runners for promotion.

Rovers were knocking on the door, but found Hladky in unforgiving mood as he superbly thwarted Collins in quick succession. Collins was making Rovers tick, but he was exasperated when his endeavour, on the cusp of the break, conjured an opportunity for Ebou Adams , who failed to apply the gloss.

Salford came out of the second-half blocks with intent. The previously redundant Luke McGee plunging on a Bruno Andrade strike.

Cooper hooked Richardson on the hour for the guile of former Bristol City midfielder Scott Wagstaff. However, Kitching kept the game at deadlock as he stuck out a leg to deny the galloping Elliott.

It was end-to-end. Rovers’ Nicky Cadden arrowing a cultured ball across the box, but with nobody able to touch home the gift, much to the angst of Cooper in his technical area.

With 22 minutes to go Cooper turned to the bench for the second time – ushering striker Matty Stevens on for defensive midfielder Dan Sweeney. Elliott threatened again for Salford as the clock ticked.

Rovers turned the ball over as the scampering Collins allowed sub Stevens to run free, but HIadky once again the nemesis.

Rovers were pleasing on the eye, but yet again failed to add the gloss when Udoka Godwin-Malife fashioned a chance, but the inviting opportunity went begging with eight minutes to go.

Forest Green Rovers: McGee, Godwin-Malife, Moore-Taylor, Kitching, Richardson (Wagstaff 60), Cadden, Sweeney (Stevens 68) Adams, Winchester, Collins, Matt (McCoulsky 88)

Subs not used: Thomas, Stokes, Allen, Bernard

Salford City: HIadky, Touray, Lowe, Eastham, Elliott, Hunter, Andrade (Wilson 80), Turnbull, Golden, Thomas-Asante, Henderson