SKYBET LEAGUE TWO

MACCLESFIELD TOWN 1

Wilson 55

FOREST GREEN ROVERS 1

Grubb 48

AN out of sorts Forest Green were left to settle for their seventh league stalemate of the season at basement boys Macclesfield.

Earlier, Rovers nosed ahead against the run of play through Dale Grubb's sumptuous second-half free-kick, but the lead last just seven minutes as Scott Wilson beat Robert Sanchez.

Chastened by an 8-0 Caribou Cup defeat at West Ham and without a league win this season, Macclesfield and boss Mark Yates were looking for a response - his team delivered with a front-foot start.

Rovers scooped a world first in the USA, chairman Dale Vince picking up the gong from the UN on Friday, his club becoming the first football club in the world to go carbon neutral, but it was bottom of the table Macclesfield, who were making a strong footprint on this match.

Former Forest Green captain Jared Hodgkiss picked out Tyrone Marsh, who drew a routine stop from Rovers’ Brighton loanee Robert Sanchez.

Mark Cooper’s side were painting predictable pretty pictures – Reece Brown fizzing wide from the edge of the box after a pleasing passing sequence.

However, the Silkmen were in the driving seat. Sanchez saving well from an offside Tyrone Marsh.

Rovers had to wait until the 35th minute for their first corner and when the ball dropped to Joseph Mills, the left wing back volleyed high wide and not very handsome.

Rovers’ Paul Digby took a booking for his side on the cusp of the break – bundling over the busy Scott Wilson as he broke from the centre circle.

Cooper had seen enough and made changes at the break - Lloyd James and Mills coming off for Theo Archibald and Dayle Grubb and it proved a masterstroke.

Three minutes after the restart - Grubb made an immediate impact. George Williams was upended and Grubb's subsequent 25 yard free-kick was whipped over the wall and into the top corner of Kieran O'Hara's net. 

Rovers lead lasted seven minutes. Wilson beat the offside trap to finish comfortably beyond the exposed Sanchez.

Tails up, Marsh induced a decent stop from Sanchez. The Silkmen really should have nosed ahead, but sub Peter Vincenti contrived to drag his shot wide as he got in behind Rovers’ defence.

Rovers lost Carl Winchester to a knock just beyond the hour - Bornemouth loanee Matt Worthington taking his place.

Tempers became fractious when Macc boss Yates picked up a ball from the crowd and kicked it onto the pitch to disrupte a Rovers' attack - provoking angry glances from the opposing dugouts.

Only a flying tip-over from O'Hara denied Reuben Reid an 85th minute winner.

Drama ensued on 88 minutes. Sanchez was adjudged to have brought down Wilson but after the referee consulted with his linesman, the penalty decision was reversed, with Wilson going into the book for diving.

A high-octane ending to this game saw seven nerve-jangling minutes of added time as both teams had chances to pinch it.

Macclesfield: O’Hara, Hodgkiss, Fitzpatrick, Lowe, Kelleher, Marsh, Wilson, Blissett, Maycock, Arthur, Whitaker (Vincenti 57)

Bookings: Lowe 47, Wilson 88

Forest Green: (3-5-1-1) Sanchez;  Digby, McGinley, Gunning; Shepherd, Brown, James (Grubb 46), Mills (Archibald 46), Winchester (Worthington 62); Williams; Reid

Subs not used: Montgomery, Collins, Morris, Campbell

Bookings : Digby 42, Williams 97

Attendance: 1,503

Away fans: 145

Star Man: Reece Brown

Next up: Rovers travel to Cambridge United on Tuesday.