FOREST Green Rovers "looked a bit nervous" in 3-1 defeat to Bristol Rovers according to manager Duncan Ferguson. 

Despite going ahead through Charlie Savage's early goal, a brace from John Marquis and a Scott Sinclair goal handed Bristol the three points. 

Bottom-of-the-table Forest Green are now 12 points off safety having stretched their winless run to 14 matches in League One

"The players gave 100 per cent effort, but I think they looked a bit nervous. Technically we weren’t as good as we’ve been, albeit for the first 20 minutes," said Ferguson.

"I thought we started the game very well. Their goalkeeper made the first save of the game and we took our goal really well. Then we made a few mistakes.

"They got themselves a couple of goals and then we never got in their half and created too many chances.

"The second half was the same. A bit of huff and puff, but we never created too much in the second half either."

Bristol boss Joey Barton was not all that pleased at full-time despite the victory.

"It was a really competent professional performance for 80 minutes and then we made a couple of changes and then done a few mad things which put the team under pressure," he said.

"The substitutes are meant to lift the performance and get the job done, but specifically Luke McCormick didn’t and was lucky to stay on the pitch.

"He got booked after two seconds of going on for a stupid tussle with someone in their box.

"Two minutes later he pulls someone down in the area and gives the pen away and he’s a fortunate boy to stay on the pitch. That’s disappointing for me.

"I don’t like taking players off who I’ve substituted on. I don’t like digging players out, but that could’ve made a hell of a difference in the last five or 10 minutes of the game."