Rob Edwards: Forest Green manager wants side to erase pressure

Forest Green manager Rob Edwards took over at the Gloucestershire club at the end of May 2021

Forest Green Rovers manager Rob Edwards felt his side were feeling the pressure for the first time, as they look to end a difficult run of results.

The League Two leaders have not won in seven games after seeing a 19-match unbeaten streak end in February.

Their advantage has been cut from 10 points to five and they sit near the bottom of the league form table.

After drawing 1-1 with Leyton Orient on 15 March they face Colchester United on Monday.

"I felt on Tuesday [against Orient] it looked like we felt a little bit of pressure, that's what I felt it looked like, probably for the first time and I don't want us to feel like that," Edwards told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"Pressure really is the opposite end of the table when you're fighting to stay in the league. We've got to embrace the position we're in at the moment.

"We've done fantastically well all season, yeah we've had a little bit of a rough patch in terms of results, but within that half the performances I would say were acceptable, were pleasing, just we couldn't find the win."

Forest Green looked like runaway champions a few weeks ago and have sat in first place in League Two since the beginning of September.

But they have drawn four and lost three of their past seven matches and scored only five goals to see their lead halved, with Exeter City in second.

"We certainly feel like we're due it [a win] but it only comes through performance so we'll try and keep focusing on that," Edwards said.

"We've worked hard this week at looking at ourselves. We're aware of the opposition and what we think they'll do, but who knows because a lot of teams do change against us.

"lt's about us being really brave and embracing the situation that we're in. We've talked a lot about being brave and being ourselves and playing our way."

With 10 games of the season to go, Rovers next face 20th-placed Colchester, before a 12-day break until a home fixture with bottom side Scunthorpe United.

"We're well aware that the games are counting down, quickly and they will do really quickly once we get into April as well," Edwards continued.

"But again it still has to be the next game, the next game, the next game and not get ahead of ourselves."