Forest Green Rovers' poor run continued as they fell to a 3-2 defeat away to Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday evening.

The hosts struck early after Luke McGee could only palm Liam Feeney’s cross into the path of Paul Lewis, and he headed home from six yards.

Minutes later it should have been two, only for James Vaughan to head straight at McGee as he dived in to meet Otis Khan’s precise cross.

Feeney fired a 20-yard shot inches off target as Tranmere dominated the opening proceedings.

Lewis then planted another firm header straight at a grateful McGee.

Two minutes after the restart Tranmere added a second when Calum MacDonald dragged a low cross back for Vaughan, who side-footed home easily.

Substitute Jamille Matt hit the crossbar for Forest Green, before fellow replacement Elliott Whitehouse halved the deficit when he bundled home Nicky Cadden’s cross from close range.

Feeney smashed home to make it 3-1 after Morgan Ferrier’s cross was not cleared, before Scott Wagstaff headed in a late consolation for Forest Green.

The result moved Tranmere, who had not won at Prenton Park since November, into the top half of League Two - while Forest Green stay in fourth.

Boss Mark Cooper afterwards accused his side of a lack of desire.

He said: “We created a number of chances, but there were too many big players out there who didn’t fight enough, didn’t scrap enough and just didn’t run enough.

“I think we had 13 shots in the second half and of course we did get the two goals in the end, but the damage had been done in the first half.

“If we had started on the front foot we would have helped ourselves.

“There were step overs and drag backs going on out there, but like I say, you need players who are prepared to scrap and fight in games like this.

“We needed players with a bit more desire, we just didn’t play.

“Some of the subs in the second half did well and will have played themselves into the picture for the weekend, but though we’ve come up against a really experienced Tranmere team tonight, we came up short.”