SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
ACCRINGTON STANLEY 3
Johnson 3, Clark 82, Jackson 90+2
FOREST GREEN ROVERS 1
Reid 65
FOREST GREEN failed to raise the temperature at league leaders Accrington Stanley as boss Mark Cooper marked his 100th game in charge with defeat at a perishing Wham Stadium.
Cooper’s side were caught cold in Lancashire as Callum Johnson third-minute strike handed Accrington the lead. Reuben Reid netted parity on 65 minutes, but Accrington’s Jordan Clark struck with eight minutes to go and Kayden Jackson made it 3-1 in added time.
With top scorer Christian Doidge (ankle) undergoing treatment at The New Lawn, Cooper handed Tahvon Campbell a starting chance after his scoring impact off the bench last time out. The West Brom loanne lined up alongside former Exeter City forward Reuben Reid.
Dale Bennett (groin) and the creative Dayle Grubb dropped to the bench. Meanwhile, Charlie Cooper was handed a rare start in a rejigged 3-5-2 formation.
Forest Green defender Farrend Rawson faced his former side after playing 14 appearances for the Reds in his loan move from Pride Park, contributing to a win and clean sheet against his current club earlier in the season.
Surprise League Two leaders Accrington had posted seven wins and a draw from their last eight games, and from the get-go it was Jon Coleman’s side who found their feet at the Wham Stadium – Sean McConville’s third-minute free-kick picking out the alert Johnson, who got in between Haydn Hollis and Gavin Gunning.
Rocked by this early hit, Rovers looked for a way back. Dan Wishart watched his fizzer deflected wide and then Isaiah Osbourne spanked over from 25 yards.
Rovers felt they had a strong penalty claim on 32 minutes – Gunning’s strike appearing to hit an Accrington arm.
In bitter conditions, the Reds looked to press home their advantage and a quick one-two between Janoi Donacien and McConville allowed the latter to flash a ball across the face of goal.
Searching for a second-half response ,Rovers tried to snatch the initiative and they found it – through Reid on 65 minutes as the burly striker poked the ball over the line for his 12 goal of the season and his fourth for Rovers.
Accrington turned up the heat and regained the lead with eight minutes to go. Clark ran from the halfway line and planted a rasping strike beyond Brad Collins.
The Reds added the gloss in stoppage-time – Jackson lobbing Brad Collins for a third.
Forest Green line up: (3-5-2) B Collins, Gunning, Rawson, Hollis; Clements, Osbourne, Cooper (Grubb 89), Wishart (Brown 85) , L Collins; Reid, Campbell
Subs not used: Belford, Laird, Bennett, Simpson, Bray
Accrington Stanley: Chapman; Johnson, Hughes, Dunne, Donacien, Clark, Brown, Conneely, McConville, Jackson, Kee
Subs not used: Richards-Everton, Nolan, Zanzala, Williams, Maxted, Sousa, Rodgers
Attendance: 2,313
FGR fans: 106
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