Forest Green suffer Udoka Godwin-Malife blow ahead of Shrewsbury clash

Forest Green have suffered a blow ahead of Saturday’s home game against Shrewsbury, with Udoka Godwin-Malife revealing that he will undergo surgery.

Godwin-Malife suffered a hamstring injury during the 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich on August 6.

The 22-year-old defender confirmed on social media on Thursday that he will have an operation following several scans on his hamstring.

Midfielder David Davis will hope to play against the club he left in June, but boss Ian Burchnall is expected to make changes from Rovers’ Sky Bet League One line-up that lost 5-0 at Sheffield Wednesday.

Striker Rob Street could make an instant Shrewsbury debut after joining from Crystal Palace on a season-long loan deal.

The 20-year-old, who had a loan spell at Newport last season, became Steve Cotterill’s seventh summer signing on Thursday and bolsters a department in which Aiden O’Brien and Daniel Udoh have picked up injuries.

O’Brien faces six weeks out after undergoing a minor hip operation, while Udoh damaged his knee in the 1-1 draw at Bristol Rovers last weekend.

Cotterill will revert to a more familiar line-up after rotating his squad in Tuesday’s 2-1 EFL Trophy defeat to Wolves Under-21s.