National League

Forest Green 2

York City 1

FOREST GREEN striker Matt Tubbs left it late to pour misery on York City.

Tubbs has previously managed to breach the North Yorkshire defence in the past for Portsmouth, Wimbledon, Crawley and Salisbury and his 95th minute penalty snatched a last-gasp winner to make it three wins on the spin for Mark Cooper’s side.

It was Rovers, who settled into their customary passing game, but it was York who conjured the first two early opportunities- former Forest Green favourite Yan Klukowski stabbing wide from a Shaun Rooney flick on after eight minutes and then on-loan Sheffied United striker Jake Wright nodding wide after a cross from Aidan Connolly.

Rovers responded – Murphy seeing his header back across goal blocked by the chest of Jack Higgins from a booming Liam Noble ball.

Cooper loves wingers and even widened the pitch this season and it was the dancing feet of Mo Chemlal induced a foul from Ben Clappison following an audacious bit of touchline skill.

It was York who nosed ahead on 20 minutes – Brodie finishing with aplomb and into the roof of Sam Russell’s inviting net from a Connolly cross.

Rovers were rocked and only the flying finger- tips of Russell denied Brodie a spectacular second minutes later.

Brodie was at the fulcrum - and turned pantomime villain when going through Keanu Marsh-Brown to pick up a 25th-minute yellow and the wrath of the baying home fans.

The Minstermen grew in confidence as Rovers lost their way.

However, Rovers’ nerves were settled five minutes before the break. The vision of Noble released Jefford who timed his run to perfection to burst into the box and arrow a ball in for the sliding Murphy to beat Luke Simpson from short range.

The goal brought Rovers to life – Chemlal clipping the bar and Dale Bennett and Tubbs firing over as Rovers ended the half on a high.

Deep into stoppage time the busy Tubbs drew a save from Simpson with his legs and from the corner Murphy saw his header blocked by Simpson.

Tubbs started the second half how he finished the first – stabbing a strike into Simpson following a Chemlal pass inside the box.

Brodie used his experience to trick the referee into a yellow for Racine, who looked to have won the ball and then Matt Dixon became York’s third yellow with an off the ball spat with Drissa Traore.

York started to turn the screw – Dixon forcing Russell to claw past the post.

Rovers replied with Simon Heslop clearing off the line in a goalmouth scramble. Chemlal was full of running and Heslop became York’s fourth booking after he caught the Frenchman from behind. Chemlal was next in the book for a pull on sub Daniel Nti.

Tempers frayed when Rooney clipped Noble, but play continued with Cooper berating the fourth official. But seconds later City were reduced to 10 when captain Heslop was handed a 73rd minute red for a touchline lunge on the scampering Chemlal.

York introduced former Forest Green midfielder Clovis Kamdjo as they tried to negate the numerical disadvantage with his physical presence.

However, with three minutes to go it took an instinctive Russell reaction save to deny a Klukowski header from a Matty Dixon cross.

More drama ensued on 95 minutes when Noble’s free-kick saw Rooney tug Racine in the box to allow Tubbs to score off the crossbar for a last-gasp victory.

FOREST GREEN: (4-1-4-2): Russell 8; Bennett 7, Racine 8, Pinnock 7, Jefford 7; Traore6  (Robert 5, 80); Chemlal 8, Noble 9, Marsh-Brown 6, Tubbs 7, Murphy 7 (Doidge 6, 63).

Subs not used: Maxted, Carter, Moore.

Attendance:1,396.

Star man: Liam Noble.