IT HAS been a torrid 18 months for Forest Green since winning League Two.

The “little club on the hill” have encountered big problems following their first EFL promotion.

The Gloucestershire side plummeted straight back down – and were relegated before anyone else in the top four divisions – and the decline has continued in the fourth tier.

A six-game losing streak recently condemned Rovers to the relegation spots, where they remain despite back-to-back draws.

But head coach David Horseman believes some niggly moments in the weekend stalemate at Walsall show the fight within his side.

“It is demanding standards,” he told Gloucestershire Live. “What we have not had is that little bit of bite.

“These boys want to show a few people that they are wrong and to do that and be a really good team, you have got to have a few leaders on there.

“When people are being sloppy, they got told and then you have to take it and move on.”

Injuries have hit Forest Green hard – especially up front where leading scorer Matty Stevens is among the current casualties.

Horseman will check on in-form midfielder Kyle McAllister ahead of the City game after he was taken off as a precaution at the weekend with a tight hamstring.

McAllister, described by his boss as one of the best players in League Two, last week signed a new contract extension. Only captain Dominic Bernard has played more minutes this season than the 24-year-old.

Forest Green are still feeling the impact from losing so many of the promotion team.

Duncan Ferguson was sacked in the summer after just six months in charge – having penned a five-year contract.

Rovers generated headlines when they promoted academy head Hannah Dingley as interim boss in pre-season – the first female to take charge in the men’s pro game – before Horseman was appointed in July.

Horseman was previously first-team coach and B team boss at Southampton.