FOREST GREEN 0

FC HALIFAX TOWN 1

SAM WEDGBURY is set to miss the play-offs after a serious looking knee injury.

The all-action Forest Green midfielder had just challenged Scott McManus  and let out a yelp and collapsed near the touchline on 36 minutes and after lengthy treatment, including oxygen, he was stretchered off and taken to hospital.

And boss Ady Pennock is keeping his fingers crossed for the popular midfielder.

“Sam has gone to hospital and he was in a lot of pain,” said Pennock.

“I did hear something went and he obviously felt and heard it, so I have my fingers and toes crossed for him and hopefully the diagnosis is not as bad as we think and he can have a speedy recovery.”

Meanwhile, wily FC Halifax Town boss Jim Harvey returned to his old stomping ground to guide his relegation threatened side out of the National League bottom four and leave destiny in their own hands.

Substitute Shaquille McDonald 70th-minute goal ended Town’s four-game goal drought and handed The Shaymen a fighting chance of avoiding the drop.

Rovers rubber-stamped a second-place finish as results went their way elsewhere, but Pennock will be concerned with recent form - Rovers are now without a win in seven games after this back-to-back home defeat.

Earlier, Kingsley James, sporting a hipster man-bun, fizzed over in the opening exchanges as FC Halifax, fighting for their National League lives, looked for a breakthrough.

Richard Peniket stung the gloves of Steve Arnold as The Shaymen found their feet.

Rovers responded – Ben Jefford looking neat and tidy on his debut and Anthony Jeffrey a source of pace down the left.

A stunning bit of improvisation saw Brett Williams bring the ball out of the air to nick it over Hamza Bencherif to burst into the box and fizz into the side-netting on 34 minutes from a sublime Kieffer Moore pass.

Two minutes later Wedgbury collapsed near the touchline and taken to hospital.

The dying embers of the half saw the match resemble a clip for TV show Casualty as the players dropped like flies.

In stoppage time the stretcher was brought out again with The Shaymen’s Peniket leaving the field with concussion after a collision with David Pipe.

Moments later Rovers’ ill-luck continued with Dale Bennett limping off with a hamstring pull and Jeffrey leaving the field to complete a fractured first half.

Rovers thought they had nosed ahead on 53 minutes when Scott McManus nodded beyond his own keeper Sam Johnson from a Marcus Kelly free-kick. However, their celebrations were curtailed by a raised offside flag.

Only a brave James Jennings block stopped Jordan Burrow breaking the stalemate.

Play was opening up and Jon Parkin watched his delicate chip float over the bar from an Elliott Frear cut-back.

However, the Yorkshire outfit showed true grit and grabbed a vital goal on 70 minutes – sub McDonald stabbing home from a Nicky Wroe corner following a Kevin Roberts header.

Rovers huffed and puffed – Kurtis Guthrie stepping on the gas and fizzing over as the clocked ticked and Jennings watching a skidder saved by Johnson.

Forest Green (4-4-2): S Arnold; D Bennett (J Jennings, 45), C Clough, K Moore, B Jefford; K Guthrie, S Wedgbury (D Pipe, 41), M Kelly, A Jeffrey (E Frear, 45); B Williams, J Parkin.

Subs not used: D Eve, K Marsh-Brown.

Halifax Town (4-3-3): S Johnson; J Bolton, H Bencherif (S McDonald, 38), K Roberts, S McManus; K James, J Hibbs, N Wroe; J Macdonald (D Hattersley 69), J Burrow, R Peniket (C Hughes, 45).

Subs not used: J Porter, W Fairhurst.

Referee: D Rock.

Att: 1,942 (139 away).

Star man: Ben Jefford. Eye-catching debut.