NATIONAL LEAGUE

EASTLEIGH 1

FOREST GREEN 1

FOREST GREEN  moved up to second, but missed the chance to go joint top as they settled for a point at Eastleigh.

In-form striker Christian Doidge gave Rovers the lead at the Silverlake with his 14th goal of the season, but Ayo Obileye levelled things up for Martin Allen's side.

Forest Green sub Shamir Mullings missed a late gift to win it for Rovers, who leapfrogged Tranmere in the table.

Boss Mark Cooper made two changes from the team that blew Bromley away.

Charlie Cooper came in for Elliott Frear, who failed to shake off a dead leg. Aarran Racine was named on the bench following his return from York City, but Rhys Murphy, Fabien Robert and Kieffer Moore missed out.

Earlier, veteran football manager Martin ‘Mad Dog’ Allen treated the crowd to a somewhat torturous pre-match music loop of Prince’s 1999 hit and football anthems Three Lions, and Stroud-based Keith Allen’s Fat Les' Vindaloo.

And it was Forest Green who called the tune with Keanu Marsh-Brown making sweet music to arrow over a 24th-minutes cross for the stooping Doidge to nod in for his 14th goal of the season – his fifth in three games.

Three minutes later, Sam Russell produce a concrete like glove block to deny bustling Eastleigh striker Mikael Mandron after Manny Monthe had his pocket picked.

Eastleigh quickly found their feet and only a superb block on the line from Rob Sinclair prevented Bondz N’gala from finding parity.

However, Rovers’ lead lasted just 10 minutes as Obileye glanced in from an Eastleigh corner.

The Spitfires had wings and Dale Bennett’s leggy defensive block denied a certain second.

Rovers rallied and deep into stoppage-time Charlie Cooper saw his stinger blocked with Doidge seeing his follow-up smothered by former Arsenal keeper Graham Stack.

Eastleigh brought on former Premier League star Darius Henderson at the break for ex- Cirencester Academy player James Constable.

It was nip-and-tuck. Cooper arrowed over a delicious pass from the right, but the ball evaded the onrushing Doidge by the smallest of margins.

Rovers kicked-on. Dan Wishart tried his luck from 40 yards with an audacious lob that demanded a flying glove from the retreating Stack.

Eastleigh were a threat from set plays and Charlie Clough did exceptionally well to repel a teasing Jai Reason free-kick.

Cooper turned to his bench with twenty minutes to go – striker Mullings replacing Sinclair to allow Cooper to move into central midfield.

Eastleigh blew a simple opportunity to snatch the lead when Luke Coulson teed-up Ben Strevens, but his diving header was well off target as the net began to bulge in anticipation.

With the clock ticking, Mandron stabbed wide for Eastleigh, but Rovers should have pinched it in the 90th minute.

However, Rovers' sub Marcus Kelly found space down the left to fire over a delicious cross that Mullings somehow contrived to skew wide under pressure from Tyler Garrett.

Rovers were having a go – Doidge heading onto the roof of the net from Wishart and then nodding over from a Noble corner.

Earlier, boss Mark Cooper made two changes from the team that blew Bromley away.

Forest Green: Russell, Bennett, Clough, Monthe, Wishart; Pinnock, Noble, Sinclair (Mullings, 70); Cooper, Doidge, Marsh-Brown (Kelly 83).

Subs not used: Lefebvre, Carter.

Attendance: 1,917

FGR fans: 114.

Star Man: Christian Doidge.