Forest Green Rovers boss Robbie Savage reveals unusual post-match tactic ahead of Hartlepool United visit

Hartlepool United could witness an unusual post-match tactic when they host National League rivals Forest Green Rovers at the Prestige Group Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Robbie Savage’s side had high hopes of pushing for the league title this season before an underwhelming run of form forced them to focus their attention on securing a play-off spot. A run of just one defeat in their last six games means Rovers will have a chance to return to the EFL between now and the end of the season after their weekend win against Braintree Town officially confirmed their top seven spot.

Forest Green will take their place in the eliminator round of the play-offs and that will mean a possible meeting with the likes of Scunthorpe United, Boreham Wood or Southend United - and Savage is already preparing for every eventuality as he looks to lead his a step closer to a Wembley showdown. The former Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City midfielder led his players back on to the pitch in the aftermath of their home win against an already relegated Braintree side and oversaw a penalty shoot-out in front of their supporters. Savage requested as much noise as possible from their fans in a bid to replicate the high-pressure environment they could face in the play-offs - and the former Wales international has further explained the reasoning behind the decision.

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Nervous

Speaking after the weekend win, Savage told The Stroud Times: “The penalties after, the crowd here were brilliant. I said to them; ‘make sure you try to put our players off, and they did. I think some took it a little bit personally, but I didn’t tell the players that our own fans are going to put us off, but we have to do that. We might have to go to penalties in the play-offs. That war, which some of our players have never done, Mendy’s never done that before, and he was a bit nervous, but what a penalty. And again, the play-offs, five from five, that happened in the play- offs we will have a chance.”

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