Rovers denied victory (From Stroud News and Journal)

Rovers denied victory

Nationwide Conference Stevenage Borough 2 Forest Green Rovers 2

A GOOD film should have plenty of twists, which Forest Green and Stevenage Borough certainly produced, but eventually saw Alan Lewer's side denied victory in the last minute after earlier holding a 2-0 lead.

Memories of last week's fight-back over Burton, when Rovers clawed back a 2-0 deficit, were this time transferred the other way with Borough rescuing a point with two goals in the last three minutes after a Mark Beesley double had given Rovers a two-goal cushion.

Earlier, Rovers who took a 12th minute lead. Darren Davies found Stuart Roberts who picked out Charlie Griffin, his header fell to Beesley, who followed up his own rebound to nose Rovers ahead.

Borough, lying in fifth position found themselves two down on 49 minutes, Beesley striking a sweet strike from the edge of the box.

The match turned in Borough's favour through the introduction of Dino Maamria. His first goal came on 87 minutes and he struck again two minutes into stoppage time. Tempers became frayed at the end with Charlie Griffin having his shirt ripped and Stephen Reed booked in a post-match melee.

Despite being denied victory Lewer was delighted to have watched his side go a month in the Conference undefeated.

Stevenage: Woodman, Hocking, Goodliffe, Quinn (Maamria 57), Gregory, Hanlon (Weatherstone 57), Brough, Bulman, Boyd, Elding, McAllister (Brady 69). Subs Not Used: Rogers, Croudson. Booked: Hocking, Elding, Goodliffe. Goals: Maamria 89, 90. Forest Green: Williams, Lyttle, Garner, Gadsby, Searle, Roberts, Watson (Louis 54), Reed, Davies, Griffin, Beesley. Subs Not Used: Green, Cleverley, Windle, Danks. Booked: Gadsby, Beesley, Louis, Griffin, Reed. Goals: Beesley 18, 49. Attendance: 1,804 Referee: G Sutton (Lincolnshire).

* Forest Green welcome Accrington Stanley to The Lawn on Saturday, and then travel to Hereford United on Tuesday (7.45pm).