An intriguing game awaits Cambridge this weekend as they are entertained by a rejuvenated Forest Green Rovers, still revelling in joy following a 4-2 victory over Stevenage Borough.

The 'friendly club on the hill' look to have shaken off the whipping boys tag and are now considered serious challengers for the hallowed play-offs. Their season started off unluckily, only a 90th minute penalty the difference between them and Oxford United. A purple patch of five unbeaten started with three straight victories against Weymouth (3-2), Altrincham (3-1) and York (2-0). A packed New Lawn witnessed Rovers and Torquay battle out a 2-2 draw before a score draw at Woking gave Forest Green their best start to a season since their promotion in 1998.

High fliers Aldershot came to town and left for home 90 minutes later with three points as FGR were defeated at home for the first time this season. A 1-0 success at Grays put Forest Green into the play-off places, but a disastrous 3-0 home drubbing at home to Salisbury knocked the stuffing out of them, drawing at Exeter before falling 3-0 at Crawley Town. Last Tuesday's impressive destruction of Stevenage had left FGR in 11th place level on 18 points with Histon.

The Manager - Jim Harvey is the main reason for Forest Green's progression, his tenure of just over a year changing so much at the New Lawn. The Northern Irishman spent over 12 years turning Morecambe from a Northern Premier League side to genuine Football League challengers, before he was let go after recovering from a heart attack (incidentally before the U's played Morecambe in 2005).

The club he had done so much for told him the news on his first day back, leaving the 49-year-old very disappointed. His relationship with then caretaker Morecambe manager Sammy McIllroy, who he once assisted for Northern Ireland, is now strained at best.

Harvey spent the summer of 2006 coaching at Crewe before taking the poisoned chalice job of FGR. The club were stranded at the bottom of the league and were playing some awful football, but Harvey came in, signed a host of players and instantly gelled a squad which fought its way out of the relegation scrap into the safety of mid-table.

Harvey's Morecambe side was renowned for playing some of the finest football in non-league, and it's no coincidence Forest Green have started winning games playing exactly that way.

The last 12 months - Last season started horrifically for Forest Green, and it looked like they had a serious struggle on their hands. Gary Owers was sacked after four straight defeats, leaving former Cambridge legend Paul Wanless in caretaker charge. Wanless' one game in charge was a thrilling 3-3 draw at Stevenage before Jim Harvey was named new manager.

His first home game was the 1-1 draw with Cambridge, and after a 1-0 defeat at Weymouth, Harvey set about building from the back. He made his charges hard to beat, resulting in just one defeat in the next 13 games, although only three of those were victorious. Their first win of the season came against Stafford on 30th September, some 12 games into the campaign. The sole defeat in those 13 outings was a crushing 5-1 home thrashing by Oxford, although wins were eeked out against Burton, Crawley and Northwich soon after to calm supporters nerves.

On the 25th November a highly charged return to Morecambe for Harvey resulted in a creditable 1-1 draw, but unfortunately concentration slipped and three straight defeats in December saw FGR sucked back into the relegation mire. The New Years resolution was a true fresh start for Rovers - they won every game in January. It was the first time they had won four games in succession since promotion to the Blue Square Premier. Their victims on this impressive run were Weymouth, Tamworth, Aldershot and Southport, the latter their first away win for 15 months.

Forest Green had hauled themselves up to 12th place and were only ten points from the play-offs with 15 games to go, but a run of seven draws in ten games put paid to any dreams of a late play-off push. Due to fixture rearrangements, FGR played five consecutive away games in February and March, losing only one, to Burton.

FGR finished the season strongly, their fans relieved at the lack of the usual yearly relegation battle. They ended six games unbeaten, including a crazy Easter Bank Holiday, drawing 4-4 with Stevenage and 3-3 with Woking within three days, the clubs giving a new name to mid-table mediocrity! Now settled in their new stadium, the New Lawn, with an ambitious manager with the ability to build a strong team, Forest Green have moved on from accepting 'just survival' to a team seriously looking to challenge for promotion.

Ins and Outs - When Jim Harvey signs a player, he usually sticks to what he knows - former Morecambe players. Adriano Rigoglioso penned a deal after last season's successful loan spell, and former Shrimps players Lee Dodgson, Jonathan Smith and Jon Hardiker were previous signings from his old club. Left back Anthony Tonkin arrived from Yeovil, the 26-year-old of over 150 Football League matches. The 'eyebrow raiser' came in the shape of Stuart Fleetwood, on a free from Hereford. The promising former Cardiff youngster rejected the offer to stay at Hereford and chose to join up with Harvey instead.

FGR's mini-clearout began as soon as the season finished, Danny Williams heading for Rushden whilst six players were released, including striker Guy Ipoua and former U Paul Wanless. One player Harvey was desperate to keep, Jon Richardson, disappointed all at the New Lawn by opting for the bright lights of his former club Exeter City.

The Squad - Forest Green have a small but tight-knit squad. They're not the most physical of sides, which has been exploited by the likes of Crawley and Aldershot already this season. Ryan Robinson fills the void between the sticks, and is unsurprisingly a former Morecambe stopper. FGR's back four usually consists of Chris Giles, Darren Jones, Anthony Tonkin and youngster Mark Preece. Giles has done a mini-tour of Blue Square Premier clubs, having plied his trade for Aldershot, Crawley, Woking and Ebbsfleet. Fellow centre back Darren Jones is better known for his hammer free-kicks, scoring twice from those already this campaign.

FGR's passing game stems from their two classy central midfielders, skipper Michael Brough and Simon Clist. Dorset born Clist has a wealth of Football League experience, having played at Bristol City, Cheltenham and Barnet. Brough is the club captain and has been at the club for over two years.

Harvey has options on the flanks, usually opting for Les Afful and Jamie Pitman. Afful is the smallest player in the Blue Square Premier, measuring up at a sizable 5'1"! Despite his lack of height, Les possesses a burst of pace and is the club trickster. Pitman is more experienced, having made over 250 career appearances at clubs like Yeovil, Woking and more recently Hereford. Should Harvey opt for an attacking line up, he has two attacking midfield youngsters in Lee Dodgson and Paul Stonehouse. 'Stoney' graduated through the club's youth ranks and is considered as 'one for the future'.

The strike force will most likely be Stuart Fleetwood and Mark Beesley, who helped themselves to two goals apiece over Stevenage. Since Beesley's return from injury last month, he has helped himself to five goals in five starts. Beesley is FGR's longest serving player, although a history of injuries have limited him to just 65 appearances in four years.

Fleetwood this week denied he'd be moving elsewhere after attracting interest from numerous other clubs. The young Welshman has hit a healthy eight goals in 12 outings already.

Former U's striker Danny Carey-Bertram (right) started the season as first choice striker but a recent injury has curtailed his season for at least the next few weeks.

One to Watch - Lee Dodgson - One of Jim Harvey's first signings for Forest Green, Dodgson has revitalized his career after signing from Northern Premier League outfit Fleetwood Town. The 21-year-old was brought through Harvey's youth system at Morecambe but in his three years at the club he only made nine fleeting substitute appearances. He must have thought his professional career dream was over, flitting between Kendal Town and Lancaster before joining Fleetwood, but Harvey came along to offer a second chance. Dodgson has repaid his managers faith by hitting three goals this season and earning numerous rave reviews. His 30-yard piledriver against Stevenage last season easily won the 'goal of the season' at the club and the future looks bright for this winger-cum-striker.

Facts, stats and connections - Former England cricket wicket-keeper Jack Russell is now the goalkeeping coach at the New Lawn.

The away stand for the new stadium will be finally complete for our visit this weekend, giving the 'New Lawn' a total capacity of 6,000. Forest Green broke the record for penalties in the FA Cup in 1998, losing 12-11 in a shootout to Macclesfield in a first round replay. The badge of Forest Green was inspired by the moniker of Barcelona, with FGR'S being the exact same design, bearing the St. George cross.

The clubs have met four times in the Blue Square Premier, with Cambridge yet to win an outing. Our first ever game at this level ended 1-0 to FGR with the return finishing 2-2. The last time we visited the New Lawn Cambridge escaped with a 1-1 draw, current FGR player Danny Carey-Bertram securing a point for Cambridge with an injury time equaliser.

When we met at the Abbey last February Carey-Bertram scored again - but this time for the Rovers. Courtney Pitt rescued a point for Cambridge, drilling home in the second half.

Cambridge have two current players who have enjoyed short spells in Nailsworth. Scott Rendell scored his first ever professional goal against his current employers in the aforementioned 1-0 defeat in 2005. He made 16 appearances scoring twice.

Stephen Reed made nine appearances on loan at the Lawn in 2004 from his first club Yeovil. Danny Carey-Bertram is the only former U Forest Green can boast, DCB never really making it at the Abbey, scoring just twice in 15 appearances.

Current Form -

Forest Green Rovers - LWLDLW (11th)
Cambridge United - DDWDWW (4th)

Chris Vessey

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