Forest Green 'devastated' after play-off loss

Steve Cotterill said he hopes to stay the club next season and 'build' on the work done so far

Forest Green Rovers manager Steve Cotterill said that a lack of game time going into their play-off semi-final was a factor in their defeat by Southend on penalties.

Forest Green had a 16-day break following their final match of the season and their game with the Shrimpers, who by contrast had an extra play-off game in between.

The Gloucestershire club took a 2-1 lead early in extra time but were pegged back in the 116th minute, before losing 4-2 on penalties.

"We've done what we could this season. It's been a good season but it's difficult to say that right now because of the disappointment," Cotterill told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"The guys are devastated, they have gone out there and after not playing for a few weeks I think that contributed to us in the first half."

As Forest Green finished third in the table, like second-placed York they were guaranteed a home play-off semi-final.

The clubs in fourth to seventh - including Oldham and Southend who will now meet in the Wembley final on 1 June - had to play a one-legged eliminator game first to decide who they would meet.

Cotterill said the team had almost a "mini pre-season" in the build-up to the match, such was the time gap between their games.

"We probably lost the game in the first half, we looked a bit tentative with everything, that would have been the time where maybe we could have put the squeeze on them," Cotterill said.

"In the second half we were much better. In extra time, I think the game's won - we've gone gallivanting off, got a little bit excited when all we needed to do there was keep the back four together and keep our two holding midfield players.

"It's strange really how it's worked out with the teams that have had games before [reaching the final], so maybe that might have been that little bit," Cotterill said.

"You can only do so much running and fitness work with the boys but what you can't do is replicate how a game is."

I want to build on work next season - Cotterill

Cotterill who was appointed in January 2024 during a period of turbulence at the club, said he wanted to stay next season to "build" on what they had done.

"It just hurts at the moment," Cotterill said.

"I wasn't preparing for our season to end tonight. I genuinely thought we were going to win - that wasn't out of any arrogance, I was just confident in our lads."