Vanarama Conference

Grimsby Town 2

Forest Green 1

By Richard Joyce

FOREST Green got their festive run off to a frustrating start as play-off rivals Grimsby Town came out on top.

They failed to give their 14 faithful travelling fans an early Christmas present on a bitterly cold night in Cleethorpes and go into Christmas with plenty to mull over.

Lenell John-Lewis opened the scoring with his 14th of the season before Paul Hurst's men were pegged back by Chris Stokes' fizzing 62-minute equaliser.

But John-Lewis turned provider with just under 20 minutes to go as his deft chip over the flat-footed visitors' back four allowed former Bristol Rovers midfielder Craig Disley to turn home the winner.

Earlier, James Norwood’s return from suspension saw the England C man instantly handed a place on the right side of midfield.

The pace of the Mariners front two duo of John-Lewis and Jon-Paul Pittman handed the Rovers defence troubles early on.

The former headed over midway through the first period from a cross while a thump on goal from John-Lewis was turned away by Sam Russell.

However, Russell was unable to stop one-time Bury forward John-Lewis from opening the scoring only a minute later.

Rovers gave the ball away in their own half, and John-Lewis expertly finished off Carl Magnay’s dangerous cross.

The best chance of the opening 45 minutes from a Forest Green perspective fell to Norwood, just past the half hour mark.

A diagonal ball was guided towards an isolated Norwood by Jon Parkin, however he couldn’t find a way past James McKeown.

Norwood then fired wide right before the interval after he had initially produced a stunning touch to bring down a cross from Stokes.

Russell was called upon to make a good early save in the second half from Pitmann, but from that moment Rovers dominated the exchanges for the next 20 minutes.

After Russell saved well with his feet following a Grimsby breakaway, Stokes was the man to draw Rovers level with his first goal of the campaign.

A ball into the box eventually fell to the former Bolton Wanderers youngster and he blasted his side level with a tremendous volley.

The home side were rattled, and Rovers were in the ascendancy, and Parkin almost put Rovers in front when his free- kick on 72 minutes edged over the crossbar.

There was a sucker-punch to come when the home side netted the winner.

Disley latched onto John-Lewis’ fabulous lifted pass in behind a static Rovers defence, and his fine touch took the ball past Russell, and into the back of the net.

Rovers rallied and came closest to equalising once again through Norwood, who forced McKeown into an acrobatic save.

Grimsby Town: J. McKeown; D. Parslow, A. Nsiala, S. Pearson, C. Magnay (P. Bignot 90); J. Mackreth, S. Brown (C. Clay 73), C. Disley, N. Arnold; J-P Pittman (S. Neilson 83), L. John-Lewis; R. Hannah, H. Watson.

Forest Green: S. Russell; D. Pipe (D. Bennett 84), L. Oliver, D. Coles, C. Stokes; J. Norwood (L. Hughes 83), S. Wedgbury, M. Kelly, E. Frear; J. Parkin, K. Guthrie.

Subs not used: A. Racine, L. McGrory, P. White.

Referee: D. England (Barnskey).

Attendance: 3,204.

Star man: Jon Parkin.