Forest Green Rovers v FC Halifax Town preview

Venue: The New Lawn

Date: Wednesday, November 27

Kick-off: 7.45pm

Referee: Richard Eley has shown 33 yellow cards but no red cards in seven National League games this season. He was in charge for Forest Green's 3-0 home win over Fylde in September. This is his first season officiating at National League level.

Odds: Forest Green 4/6, draw 14/5, Halifax 10/3

Last five games

Forest Green: Woking (a) D 1-1, Stockport (FAC a) L 2-1, Maidenhead (a) W 4-1, York (h) W 2-0, Southend (a) D 2-2

Halifax: Rochdale (a) L 2-1, York (h) L 2-1, Woking (h) W 1-0, Middlesbrough u21 (NLC h) L 4-1, Yeovil (a) W 1-0

Manager: Having managed the likes of Burnley, Nottingham Forest and Bristol City, Steve Cotterill has won five promotions during his managerial career. His last role before Forest Green was at Shrewsbury Town between 2020 and 2023, achieving an impressive 12th-placed finish in League One, the club’s second-highest finish in 34 years He joined Forest Green in January but was unable to prevent them being relegated from League Two.

Last season: 24rd in League Two

One to watch: Striker Christian Doidge is in his second spell at Forest Green. He made 122 appearances for the club between 2016 and 2019, scoring 66 times, including at Wembley in the promotion final when Forest Green went up to the Football League for the first time. The Welshman joined Hibs in 2019, after a loan spell with Bolton Wanderers, and went on to play 148 times for the Scottish Premiership side, scoring 41 goals.

Head-to-head: Played 18, Forest Green wins 6, draws 5, Halifax wins 7

Last time they met: Shaquille McDonald scored the winner as Jim Harvey's Halifax won 1-0 at The New Lawn in April 2016.

Match facts: If Halifax win, it will be the first time they'll have won three league games in a row since March.

Only Barnet share Forest Green's unbeaten home record in the National League this season.

Forest Green have scored in every home game this season and have only failed to score in three of their 21 matches in all competitions.

Forest Green have only lost once in their last 16 league matches.

Wednesday's National League fixtures:

Forest Green v Halifax Yeovil v Barnet Ebbsfleet v Eastleigh