Match Pack: Forest Green Rovers (A)

Sutton are back on the road on Wednesday night, making the trip to Nailsworth to take on Forest Green Rovers (Wednesday, 20th August).

Read below for everything you need to know ahead of the match.

Match Info

• Fixture: Forest Green Rovers vs Sutton United
• Competition: Enterprise National League
• Venue: The New Lawn
• Date: Wednesday, 20th August; 7:45pm
• Strip: Amber home kit; Forest Green will be in green
• Television: National League TV

Officials

• Referee: Elliott Swallow. Promoted to the National League six years ago, this is his third visit to the VBS after refereeing last season’s game against Gateshead and an FA Trophy tie against Dagenham in 2019.
• Assistant Referees: Keiran Forrest (red/yellow); Adam Wilson (yellow)
• Fourth Official: Ryan Saward

How to Follow

Video

A live stream on National League TV – via DAZN – will be available by purchasing a match pass here.

A range of passes are available for the 2025/26 season, with pricing as follows:

• Annual – Pay Up Front: £99.99/year

Pay for a year upfront to get the best value deal.

• Annual – Pay Monthly: £12.99/month

Pay for a year upfront to get the best value deal.

• Monthly Flex: £19.99/month

Renews monthly. Cancel anytime with 30 days’ notice.

Audio

Supporters will also be able to listen to all the action, with a Mixlr audio commentary being available and will be posted on social media accounts before kick-off.

Social Media

You can also follow the game through our social media channels below, with full text coverage during the fixture.

X: @suttonunited

Facebook: @suttonunited

Instagram: @suttonunited

In Person

Fans get their tickets though Forest Green’s ticketing website, or by contacting our hosts at at the following:

• Email: reception@fgr.co.uk
• Phone: 0333 123 1889
• Opening Hours: Monday, Thursday, Friday – 11am to 2pm

Ticket Prices

Covered Seating

• Adult £23
• Over-65: £19
• Under-21: £14
• Under-16: £7
• Under-11: £1

Uncovered Standing

• Adult: £19
• Over-65: £16
• Under-21: £10
• Under-16: £6
• Under-11: £1

Tickets purchased on matchday will be subject to a £3 print charge.

Away supporters will need to select the stand they wish to sit/stand and then the concession type required. Once supporters have all the tickets in the basket, proceed to checkout, where you will be asked how you would like their ticket.

The three best options would be:

• Email Ticket – this will allow supporters to print their own tickets via an email.
• Mobile Phone SMS Text Message – this sends a text to the supporter with a QR code to allow them to access the turnstile via a text on their phone.
• Collection – Collection tickets have a £3 print fee, these tickets will be physical paper tickets, that will be available to collect from the ticket office on matchday.

All three option allow for tickets to be added to either an Apple wallet or Google wallet once purchased.

Once a delivery method has been selected, supporters will then be asked to set up an account on Forest Green’s online ticket system. Here supporters will need to untick the box that asks if you are a home supporter, and will tag their new account as an away supporter.

Once this is complete supporters will be able to process their payment through the online payment system.

For support with purchasing tickets in the west stand, supporters will need to email reception@fgr.co.uk or call 0333 123 1889 and a member of their team will be able to help.

Getting to the Ground

Stadium Address:

The New Lawn

Another Way

Nailsworth

Gloucestershire

GL6 0FG

By Car

Supporters can also park in the surrounding area. but be advised that parking should be done with consideration of the residents.

By Rail & Bus

The closest station is Stroud, served by direct trains from Paddington or from Clapham Junction via Reading and Swindon. There are no buses back to Stroud after the game, but if you can get back to Stroud station by 22.45 there is a return train, getting to Paddington at half past midnight with a change at Swindon. There are also taxis available from the station that will drop off at The New Lawn.

Accessibility

All accessible entrances will be open as detailed in the stadium map below:

Away fans can enter through turnstiles 9 & 10, and will open an hour and a half before kick-off.

The West Terrace has two sections: covered seating (capacity 100) and uncovered standing (capacity 944). Please note that the West Terrace is exposed.

The away stand is a long walk from the main entrance (approximately 180m) along uneven surface, with supporters entering at the top of the stand where you will have to walk down steps to reach pitch level. The covered seating area is a short walk across the length of the stand, and are accessible via 16 steps. These seats are NOT accessible for disabled supporters, and the West Terrace does not have any facilities for disabled supporters.

For further details, please visit the Forest Green website; specifically the First Time Visitors page. On this page, there is a section specifically dedicated to “Away Visitors” with information tailored for away supporters.

Disabled and Under-16 Access

Forest Green offer two wheelchair spaces, each with an accompanying carer seat. Please note that these are in the main East Stand and therefore will not be with the other away supporters. These seats however are next to the away team bench. These tickets also come with a complimentary wheelchair parking bay in the main car park. Additionally, for supporters who are ambulant disabled, Forest Green offer a free personal assistant ticket.

To purchase a either ticket, email personal.assistant@fgr.co.uk or call 0333 123 1889 and one of their team will be able to assist.

A hearing loop system is also available in Forest Green’s ticket office to assist supporters who use hearing aids. To use this system, please switch your hearing aid to the ‘T’ setting and follow the instructions displayed at the ticket office. If you require any assistance, our hosts’ staff will be happy to help.

Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult when attending games at The New Lawn.

In addition, the West Terrace does not have any disabled or baby changing facilities. All small children are required to have an individual ticket. Children are not allowed to sit on parent’s laps and must have an allocated seat of their own even if they are a baby in arms. Children are not allowed to be carried through the turnstile and must be able to walk through themselves.

Fanzone

Forest Green Rovers are the world’s first vegan football club; all food and drink sold at the stadium is vegan.

Away supporters have access to the Fan Zone area, situated at the main entrance to the stadium. Here, they can enjoy our delicious vegan food, soft drinks, hot drinks from our barista coffee stall, alcohol, and live music.

Please note the Green Man pub and the Gym Bar are for home fans only.

Supporters should be aware that The New Lawn is a cashless stadium, debit/credit card, contactless or app payments only, no cash will be accepted.

Stat Attack

2 – This is the second successive match against Forest Green Rovers to take place midweek, having been defeated 2-1 in their last meeting back in March

3 – Sutton last clashed with Forest Green on a Saturday at 3pm in 2023/24 – a 1-0 win for the U’s. A midweek visit to The New Lawn and a kick-off change due to TV coverage at the VBS means Sutton didn’t play against Rovers at all at 3pm on a Saturday last season

4 – Sutton have only lost four away games in the whole of 2025 so far

Player In Focus

Nick Haughton

Position: Midfielder

Age: 30

Appearances 24/25: 45

Goals Scored 24/25: 19

Assists 24/25: 12

Photo Credit: Forest Green Rovers Football Club

Head-To-Head (since 2007)

• Forest Green wins: 5

• Draws: 2

• Sutton United wins: 2

Last Three Meetings: 

• Forest Green 2–1 Sutton United — 11 March 2025 (National League)

• Sutton United 1–2 Forest Green — 31 August 2024 (National League)

• Forest Green 0–1 Sutton United — 16 March 2024 (League Two

Last Time We Met

First half goals across the span of seven minutes from Charlie McCann and Christian Doidge were enough to condemn Sutton United to defeat at The New Lawn, despite a another positive display from the U’s.

Despite a positive start to proceedings, McCann gave Forest Green Rovers the lead after 29 minutes when Liam Sercombe did well to pick out his midfield counterpart, with McCann driving towards goal before planting a pinpoint effort into the bottom corner, and was doubled just seven minutes through Doidge, with the Green number nine tapping in from close range after Tom Knowles had slid the ball to Jamie Robson who’s effort across goal was diverted over the line by the former.

Despite their dominance towards the end of the first half, Sutton came out the blocks quickly after the restart and halved the deficit on the hour-mark when Will Davies struck a low drive from distance past Fabian Mrozek, but the U’s struggled to break down a superb defensive display from the hosts, who were able to condemn Steve Morison’s side to a narrow loss on the road.

Photo Credit: Forest Green Rovers Football Club

Played for Both

Dale Bennett

Former Sutton defender Dale Bennett ended his career with a season at Gander Green Lane, having previously spent five years at Forest Green.

Born in Enfield, Bennett began his career in the Watford academy, rising through the ranks where he captained the Hornets’ Under-18’s before signing professionally in 2008, and was followed by his First Team debut six months later as a substitute in a 1-0 victory over West Ham United.

Runs in the First Team would soon become sparing though, and while he ended his Watford career with 32 appearances to his name, he largely spent time out on loan with spells at Wealdstone, Kettering Town, Brentford, AFC Wimbledon and Yeovil Town, before departing Vicarage Road permanently in 2012.

A move to Forest Green was then confirmed towards the end of the January transfer window in 2013, and he subsequently spent the next five years at The New Lawn, making almost 200 appearances for the club. He notably contributed to three successive play-off appearances between 2015 and 2017 including two finals, with the Green beating Tranmere Rovers the second time round to reach the Football League for the first time in their history.

Bennett subsequently played 33 times in League Two for the club, before departing Gloucestershire in 2018 and returning to the fifth tier with a switch to Sutton ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. A hugely successive individual campaign for the defender, he won a clean sweep of awards as Club Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Supporters’ Player of the Year as the U’s finished tenth in the National League, before being forced into retirement due to injuries at the age of 29.

He now works as a football agent, with clients including Sutton left back, Eduino Vaz, which allowed Bennett to return to Gander Green Lane when the Guinea-Bissaun signed for the U’s from Aveley in the summer of 2024.