Vanarama Conference

Forest Green 3

Lincoln City 3

FOREST Green hosted the world’s first vegan football match and served up a meaty performance to come from 3-0 to share the spoils in a New Lawn thriller.

Rovers showed their beef to snatch a point from the jaws of defeat as Dale Bennett struck with the last kick of a breathtaking clash.

Delano Sam-Yorke's opener and a stunner from Karl Ledsham handed the Imps had a shock lead at the break. They appeared to have Rovers on toast when substitute Jordan Burrow made it 3-0 in the 61st minute.

However, it was James Norwood who turned the game on its head in the final 20 minutes with a brace.

Earlier, Forest Green drafted in Clovis Kamdjo in place of the suspended Sam Wedgbury, who took his place alongside midfielder Rob Sinclair, named Vanarama Conference player of the month for October. Meanwhile, Norwood, a two-goal super-sub FA Cup hero against Gloucester City last Saturday, came in for Kurtis Guthrie.

Rovers started brightly with Elliott Frear, Jon Parkin and Marcus Kelly all going close inside the opening five minutes.

However, it was Pennock’s side, who were caught cold on nine minutes. A torpedo throw from Lincoln City defender Tom Miller caused havoc in Rovers’ defence and Delano Sam-Yorke reacted to smash the ball beyond Sam Russell.

The Imps were starting to gain a foothold. The dangerous Sam-Yorke slashed over after Marcus Marshall stepped on the gas down the right.

Nonetheless, Rovers came close to parity on 29 minutes. Jon Parkin arrowed a ball across the box for Sinclair to fizz a strike into keeper Paul Farman.

A moment of sublime brilliance from Ledsham saw Lincoln make it 2-0. Sinclair had his pocket picked and the former curled beyond a static Russell.

Pennock loves a green tea, but it would have been the proverbial flying tea cups at half-time as Rovers looked for a way back into the game.

They started on the front- foot. Kelly tossed in a high ball and a Thierry Arunde mistake saw Luke Rodgers break into the box, but his placed curler on the angle went wide of Farman’s far post.

Norwood was next to try his luck, but Farman did well to glove his hit around the post.

Lincoln appeared to have killed the game on the hour. Sam-Yorke shook-off the attention of Kamdjo and Danny Coles, but his run was ended when Kelly took his legs in the box . Russell saved Sean Newton’s spot-kick and blocked the follow-up, but the alert Jordan Burrow smashed home the rebound.

Pennock had seen enough and dragged off strikers Parkin and Rodgers for Christian Jolley and Guthrie.

Rovers were handed a lifeline on 68 minutes. Frear was flattened under a high ball and Norwood stroked comfortably home from the penalty spot.

Two minutes later and Norwood’s brilliance put Rovers right back in it. Picking up a ball from Frear, he cut open the heart of Lincoln’s defence to clip a wonder strike beyond Farman, for his fourth goal in two games.

Norwood was cooking on gas. A delicious interchange with Jolley saw Norwood arrow over a deep cross with Jolley a smidge away from a connection and an odds on equaliser.

With four minutes off stoppage time almost up, Norwood created space and his ball into the box was touched on by Guthrie for Dale Bennet to ghost in and grab a dramatic last-gasp 94th minute equaliser.

Forest Green: Russell; Bennett, Oshodi, Coles, Kelly; Norwood, Kamdjo, Sinclair, Frear; Parkin (Guthrie 66), Rodgers (Jolley 66).

Subs not used: Pipe, Stokes, Oliver.

Star Man: James Norwood.

Attendance:1,379.