Forest Green Rovers began their English National League campaign with a strong away performance, beating Worthing 2-1 on August 15, 2026. The visitors came from behind to secure the victory, showing composure and attacking quality in a match that produced three goals and plenty of end-to-end action.

Match summary

Worthing made a lively start and took a deserved lead in the first half. Their forward pressed the Rovers defence into a mistake and finished smartly to put the hosts ahead. That early goal lifted the home crowd and gave Worthing a platform to play with confidence.

Forest Green responded well and gradually built their way back into the contest. They equalised before halftime with a well-worked team move that ended with a composed finish from inside the penalty area. The goal changed the mood of the game, and the visitors emerged for the second half with clear intent.

Second-half turnaround

Forest Green Rovers took control after the interval. They dominated possession and created several scoring opportunities, with their winning goal arriving midway through the half. A quick break down the right wing resulted in a pinpoint cross that was headed home at the far post. Worthing pushed for an equaliser late on, but Forest Green’s defence remained organised and held on for all three points.

Key factors

• Worthing’s early press: Caused problems for Forest Green in the opening 20 minutes.
• Forest Green’s patience: They stayed calm after going behind and worked their way into the match.
• Quality in the final third: Forest Green’s finishing proved decisive, with two clinical goals from open play.

Standings and momentum

This victory gives Forest Green Rovers early momentum in the National League standings. Worthing will be disappointed to have lost despite taking the lead, but their performance showed enough promise to suggest they can be competitive this season.

Forest Green will now look to build on this away win, while Worthing will aim to turn promising signs into points in their next outing.