Forest Green dumped aside as Cardiff pile on five in pre-season
Forest Green Rovers were thrashed 5-1 by Cardiff City on Saturday as Chris Willock’s first-half hat-trick put the Bluebirds in total control. The National League side’s penultimate pre-season outing ended in humiliation at Ninian Park, with Wales international Isaak Davies opening the scoring inside eight minutes.
Midfielder Willock converted a penalty to complete his hat-trick and put Cardiff 5-0 up before the break, with Yousuf Salech adding a fourth inside 24 minutes. Forest Green pulled one back through Robbie Savage after the interval, but the damage was done. The Gloucestershire club now sit 7th in the National League final table from 2025 with 81 points, 23 wins, 12 draws and 11 losses from 46 games and recent form of WLWDW.
What happened on the pitch?
Cardiff dominated from the first whistle, with Davies’ early strike setting the tone. Willock’s penalty on 24 minutes made it 3-0, and he completed his hat-trick minutes later to put the Bluebirds 5-0 ahead at half-time. Forest Green’s only consolation came after the break when Savage pulled one back, but Cardiff responded by introducing five youngsters including 16-year-old Noah Anyadike.
Eli King, still recovering from an ACL injury that kept him out for most of last season, made the bench. The defeat leaves Forest Green with a recent run of two losses from their last five games, including a 1-0 reverse at Boreham Wood on April 29, 2026.
Why it matters for Forest Green
The heavy loss raises questions over Forest Green’s pre-season preparation ahead of their 2026-27 National League campaign. With 82 goals scored and 52 conceded last season, the club’s defensive frailties were exposed again, and they sit 27 points behind league leaders York.
Manager Brian Barry-Murphy withdrew Willock at half-time, but the damage was already irreversible. The side’s recent form of LLWWL, with losses in their last two outings, suggests they’ll need a swift turnaround to mount a serious push for the play-offs.
What comes next for Forest Green?
Forest Green’s next outing is their opening fixture of the new season, with a home Carabao Cup tie against Swindon Town on Saturday, August 8 at 15:00 BST. Their league campaign begins shortly after, with a home clash against Wrexham on Monday, August 17 at 20:00 BST.
The defeat caps a turbulent pre-season that ends with more questions than answers for Forest Green, who’ll hope to rediscover their scoring touch and tighten up at the back before the league curtain rises.
