U's:0 FGR:1

I know it's not especially helpful to think in terms of what if's, given that we're second in the league and look set fair for another run at the play-off's.

But as Burton continue to wobble like a marmite-flavoured jelly, you can't help but wonder what would have happened if we'd held onto a couple of the leads we threw away earlier in the season. Of if we'd have put away a couple of the five or six clear chances we spurned in yesterday's game.

As it is our chances of winning the title seem to have receded after yesterday's surrender to Forest Green. I'd like to think we can still overhaul the Brewers, but with games running out Torquay look more likely challengers to Roy Macfarland's men, especially if they can beat them at the Pirelli Stadium tomorrow night.

Jim Harvey's team were worthy winners in a match that reminded me a fair bit of the clash with Stafford at the end of last season; United didn't play well at any stage, and while we went close to scoring on several occasions, our attacking play always lacked a bit of conviction, and the visitors were able to find space in midfield seemingly at will, with neither Carden nor Reason asserting themselves as we know they can.

Most of the visitors best moves came down our right flank, with Simon Ainge enduring the worst home debut by a United player since Trevor Robinson first strode proudly onto the Abbey turf. Ainge looked vaguely better when he moved to centre back to replace the injured Bolland, but one hopes he can and will improve with match practice. In front of him, Parky was making his first start of 2009, but looked decidedly rusty, and Forest Green took full advantage, playing their usual patient brand of passing football.

Veteran striker David Brown was at the heart of a lot of their best moves, and it took a good interception from Bolly to deny Andy Mangan after a clever Brown pass had put him in on goal. It was only a temporary reprieve though, as moments later Mangan found more space in the area, accelerated away from Ainge and lofted the ball over the advancing Potter and into the far corner. Blast. 1-0.

Rendell should have given us the lead prior to this, but missed the target from a good position, with the ball screwing off his boot and almost going out for a throw in. With neither of the wingers doing much of note, our biggest threat was the pace of Holroyd, and he perhaps should have had a penalty when he cut inside Lee Ayres and fell under challenge. Unfortunately the ref deemed it to be a dive and booked the former Chester man for diving; I was too far away to see whether or not this was merited, but to my not-biased-at-all eye it looked like a stick-on pen.

Anyway, Terry Burton made a good save to deny Tonkin, but all too often the Rovers keeper was left to simply pluck crosses out of the sky, with United's final ball letting them down too often.

The second half started a bit more promisingly, with Hatswell heading against the bar and Reason volleying over from the rebound when he really should have hit the target at least. Forest Green still looked dangerous on the break, with the livewire Mangan almost breaking through on a couple of occasions, but by and large they let United have the ball as frustration grew on the terraces.

Danny Crow made a lively appearance off the subs bench, and it was his pass that put Carden in the clear on the left. But as the skipper got to the byline, his low centre zipped across the six yard box, eluding Rendell, Holroyd, and Willmott in the process. At this point you began to get the feeling United would never score, and Rendell was unlucky to see a great overhead effort cleared off the line, while Burton blocked efforts from our top scorer and substitute Darryl McMahon. Then right at the death Holroyd found some space, accelerated into the box, but with Rendell screaming for a pass unmarked to his left, the young striker blazed a poor shot over the bar, and in one moment summed up United's afternoon.

The defeat itself isn't the end of the world, but it could have been avoided, and you wonder whether Brabin's tinkering had an effect on the performance. Although neither Challinor nor Pitt excelled against Woking, was there really any need to change a winning team? Especially to install a new right sided partnership (Ainge and Parky) that had previously started one game between them this season. We can only hope that Glees and Bolly won't be on the sidelines for too long, as our defensive cupboard is looking a bit bare at present.

Man of the Match: Anthony Tonkin - Not a huge selection of good candidates to choose from, but Tonker was solid at the back and gave us a bit of drive down the left.