Vanarama Conference

Forest Green 2

Dartford 1

FOREST Green are two points off the play-offs as they ended a four-game drawing sequence with a workmanlike victory over relegation threatened Dartford.

Rovers, looking for their first win in six games, got off to a fine start through a thumping Eddie Oshodi header and looked to have sealed the points when James Norwood struck a sumptuous strike - his tenth goal of the season in just  17 starts - with twenty minutes to go.

However,Dartford set up a nervy finish when a cross deflected off Oshodi beyond his own keeper with eight minutes left, but Rovers managed to see the game out.

Earlier, Forest Green hit the ground running. They stamped their early authority with a fifth minute goal. Winger Elliott Frear slipped through the gears to cut a swath through the Dartford defence, and from the set play, Oshodi rose highest to thump home Rob Sinclair’s pin-point corner.

Frear was at it again just five minutes later. This time he looped over a high ball, which brought the best out of former Welsh international keeper Jason Brown, who gloved away a Lee Hughes downward header and then jumped up to block Hughes’ follow-up.

Frear was on the front-foot again, but Norwood drilled his shot wide of the target.

In a rare attacking foray, Dartford’s Max Cornhill saw his skidding strike gathered well by Sam Russell.

The tempo was raised with the over-zealous Tom Bradbook carded for a foul on Rovers’ midfield general Sam Wedgbury.

Moments later skipper Danny Coles was booked for kicking the ball away after frustratingly reacting to a contentious decision.

Rovers’ earlier fluidity had vanished as Dartford looked for a way back.

Five minutes before the break Rovers were afforded a let-off. Elliott Bradbrook wriggled free to plant a header on top of Russell’s crossbar from a Lee Noble corner.

Rovers started the second half brightly. Sinclair stepped on the gas to pull the ball back from the byeline for Hughes to volley wide from just inside the box.

Dartford responded.Tom Bradbrook headed across the box for Matt Mitchel–King to bring the best out of Russell inside a crowded goalmouth.

Rovers were in need of a second and the fleet-footed Dale Bennett made ground down the right and his cut-back missed Hughes, but found Frear, who volleyed just wide.

It was all Rovers-Guthrie a fraction away from a Norwood cross as Ady Pennock’s side turned up the heat.

Rovers made it 2-0 on 70 minutes. Sinclair skipped behind the Dartford defence and clipped the ball back for Norwood to finish with aplomb.

However, Dartford were afforded a lifeline with eight minutes to go. Bennett was off the field receiving treatment for a hand injury when Mitchell-King's effort from a Noble corner clipped Oshodi on the back of the head and into the net.

Despite four minutes of stoppage time, Rovers saw the game out.

Forest Green: Russell; Bennett, Oshodi, Coles, Kelly; Norwood, Sinclair, Wedgbury, Frear (Parkin 79); Hughes, Guthrie.

Subs not used: Oliver, Stokes, Kamdjo, White.

Attendance:1,148.

Star Player: Marcus Kelly.

Next-up: FC Halifax Town, (A) Tuesday, December 2, 7.45pm.