FOREST GREEN 3

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 5

FOREST Green boss Ady Pennock predicted League Two Plymouth would give his side a stern pre-season test and his pronouncement proved spot as he witnessed a New Lawn goal frenzy.

Rovers had the Pilgrims on the ropes as  delicious strikes from captain-elect Darren Jones, Elliott Frear and a Jon Parkin penalty saw the Nailsworth side 3-0 up inside 32 minutes, but Argyle, beaten in the League Two play-offs last season, clawed their way back to post a 5-3 victory.

Earlier, in their penultimate friendly, Rovers were dealt a pre-match blow with midfield conductor Rob Sinclair (groin) sidelined.

With Pennock's hand forced, he opted to name midfielder Clovis Kamdjo alongside Sam Wedgbury in the engine room.

His starting eleven was a strong indication into his thinking for the Vanarama National League opener at Altrincham next Saturday.

Rovers opened on the front-foot and went 1-0 up in the opening five minutes.

Jon Parkin showed nimble feet to feed the over-lapping Marcus Kelly for the fleet-footed Frear to sting the hands of Luke McCormick. The resulting Kelly corner eventually dropped to Jones on the edge of the box, who fizzed home with the sweetest of strikes.

Stroud News and Journal:

Darren Jones celebrates his stunning strike                         Pic: Shane Healey

Frear had the bit between his teeth, he skipped by Kelvin Mellor and stood up a cross for the muscular Delano Sam –Yorke, who failed to get a clean header on the ball.

Jake Jervis missed a great opportunity to bag parity for Pilgrims, but he glanced wide with just Jonny Maxted to beat.

Rovers had their tails up and made it 2-0 with a sublime move.

Scintillating one-touch combination play involving Dale Bennett, Clovis Kamdjo, Aaron O’Connor and Kamdjo saw Frear step on the gas and drill a shot across McCormick on 15 minutes.

The Rovers’ goal avalanche gathered momentum. Sam-Yorke released the speedy O’Connor, who was flattened by Mellor. Parkin sent McCormick the wrong way for a 32minute second and his first goal in pre-season.

Back came Plymouth, just a minute later - the impressive Gregg Wylde floated a ball across the box for Jervis to rise above Aarran Racine and plant a header beyond the sprawling Maxted.

Four minutes on and Rovers were cut open as Carl McHugh slid in Reuben Reid, who finished with aplomb.

Reid was growing in confidence and he out-muscled Racine to find Jervis, but Maxted showed great awarness to block with his out-stretched boot.

hOwever, Rovers remained a threat. The burgeoning Parkin and O’Connor partnership is giving hope for the season ahead and the duo combined for O’Connor to bring out a plunging McCormick save.

Rovers started the second half brightly, Frear again a menace down the left.

However, Plymouth bagged 54th minute parity. Wylde pulled the ball back for Hiram Boateng to smash home inside the box.

Plymouth had their tails up and nosed ahead just after the hour. A rasping Graham Carey strike saw Maxted palm up into the air only for Jervis to stab home.

Pennock was keen to get extended minutes into his starting eleven and opted to make just one change, Keanu Marsh-Brown replacing O’Connor with 22 minutes to go.

Plymouth held sway. Maxted pulled-off a fine double save, but was helpless when Gary Sawyer pulled the trigger with a crisp 25-yard thumper to make it 5-3.

Parkin chanced his arm from distance and Maxted gloved a shot away as the game ebbed and flowed from start - to - finish.

Forest Green: J. Maxted; D. Bennett, D. Jones, A. Racine, M. Kelly; D. Sam-Yorke, C. Kamdjo, S. Wedgbury, E. Frear; J. Parkin, A. O'Connor (K. Marsh-Brown 69).

Subs not used: A. Baldwin, L. McGrory, C. Moore, P. White.

Plymouth Argyle: L. McCormick (C. Harvey 87); K. Mellor, C. Nelson (A. Bentley 87), C. McHugh, G. Sawyer (B. Purrington 78); C. Carey, C. McHugh, H. Boateng (L. Cox 79); J. Jervis (L. Rooney 87), R. Reid (R. Brunt 71), G. Wylde (T. Harvey 87).

Referee: R. Martin (Somerset)

Attendance: 517

Star man: Elliott Frear