Ian Burchnall: Forest Green look to Cheltenham ahead of derby

Forest Green Rovers were narrowly beaten by local rivals Cheltenham on penalties in the EFL Trophy a few weeks ago

Forest Green Rovers head coach Ian Burchnall said the club want to emulate local rivals Cheltenham in sustaining their League One status.

Cheltenham were promoted to League One for the first time in 2020-21, a year before Forest Green did the same.

The Robins finished 15th last season to secure their survival in the third tier at the first time of asking.

The two Gloucestershire teams face each other in a league derby on Saturday, with Town 16th and Forest Green 21st.

"I think they've done excellent to sustain the position last season and to maintain it this year is something we also want to be able to do," Burchnall told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

Forest Green, like Cheltenham, were also crowned League Two champions as they won promotion in the spring.

"What Wade's [Elliott, Cheltenham head coach] done there is excellent," Burchnall told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"Wade stepping up, he's kept a level of continuity with what they want to do internally, they're very hard to break down, very well organised team."

Forest Green go into the match off the back of a confidence-boosting dramatic 2-1 victory over Cambridge last weekend, which moved them off the bottom of the table.

A number of key players have also returned from injury to boost the squad.

"The last few weeks, as we've started to get players back, the atmosphere has shifted a little bit I think there's a lot of positivity here, the lads are working really hard," Burchnall said.

"We've been able to get out onto the training pitch, it's been a good environment. Of course it helps with a win but that wasn't the most important thing.

"I think the nature of the performance, the way we went about the game, the way we applied ourselves in training through the week was excellent so we've just tried to replicate that."

'Intensity that befits a derby'

Forest Green and Cheltenham played each other only three weeks ago in the EFL Trophy, with Town eventually winning on penalties after the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

"Forest Green, the majority of their points they've accumulated have been at home," Elliott told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"We went there recently and it was a really tight game so I think we're going there fully aware of what's to come."

Cheltenham are one of the in-form teams in the league, unbeaten in their last five matches, their best spell of results this season.

Elliott said the added touch of this being a derby will impact the way the match is played.

"People look down their noses at it and I know it's not the old firm, but if it's your club this is your derby and it's the most important derby," he added.

"It's incumbent on us to go there and play with an intensity that befits a derby and produce a performance that would reflect our supporters expect us to feel about it."