Forest Green let two goal lead slip but continune unbeaten run with Wealdstone draw
Forest Green Rovers put in a Jekyll & Hyde performance on Saturday, racing to a 2-0 lead before ultimately settling for a point with Wealdstone, at The New Lawn.
Christian Doidge headed the hosts in front within the first ninety seconds, before Adam May’s stunning strike had the home fans elated with just six minutes gone.
But after a rapid first 15 minutes, the hosts lost their impetus on the game when Wealdstone goalkeeper Archie Matthews was caught in a challenge and after a lengthy break for treatment, Steve Cotterill’s side struggle to match the performance level of the opening quarter of an hour.
Callum McFarlane reduced arrears for Wealdstone just before half time and the importance of grabbing that goal before half time was evident – with Matt Taylor’s side coming out for the second half like a brand new side.
Ultimately, McFarlane snatched an 89th minute equaliser, after Forest Green looked set to withstand the raid from Wealdstone.
The draw sees Forest Green sit in 2nd place in the National League table, taking their unbeaten run to six – since their defeat at Barnet back in August.
Forest Green end September with a tricky run of games, starting with a trip to Gateshead next weekend, which is followed by a trip to Oldham and a home game with Hartlepool United at the end of the month.
But it could have been so much more for Rovers, who were all over Wealdstone in the early stages
Kyle McAllister had been played in down the right hand side, but after his ball in was cleared, the return cross was headed home by Doidge – who got up very well to find the bottom corner.
The game had barely settled before Adam May picked the ball up about 25 yards out and the midfielder let fly to leave Archie Matthews beaten.
The 2-0 lead was nearly stretched, and probably should have been stretched on 12 minutes. Doidge dispossessed a defender on the left corner of the box and would have fancied his chances one on one, but Matthews kept him out.
Following Matthews’ injury, Forest Green just couldn’t get going. Kallum Tracey-Cesay fired a warning shot on 30 minutes, before Enzio Boldewjin and Max Kretzscmhar had efforts blocked from a corner on 38 minutes.
Callum McFarlane struck with just two minutes left of first half normal time, as he thumped home off the bar from close range.
Forest Green carved out a great bit of play right on half time, but Liam Sercombe saw his effort saved by substitute keeper, Jacob Adams.
The second half was a slow burner and Steve Cotterill made a triple change on the hour mark to try and wake his side into life.
Former Reading youth forward Harry Cardwell, Emmanuel Osadebe and Harvey Bunker were introduced, whilst Elliott Thorpe was brought on for the visitors.
Thorpe nearly made an immediate impact, taking on his man down the right and whipping in a delicious cross, however Jack Cook’s header flew wide.
Osadebe nearly found a spectacular third for the hosts, but his top corner-bound effort was somehow tipped over by Adams in a stunning save.
That effort sprung Forest Green into life, and their best spell of the second half followed.
Sercombe got the ball out of his feet on the edge of the box, but saw his effort strike the foot of the post.
Wealdstone thought they had levelled when a short corner routine was flicked on and turned home – but the offside flag cut Matt Taylor’s side’s celebrations short.
But the visitors wouldn’t be denied their deserved equaliser and once again it came from a set piece.
Jed Ward came for a corner and got nowhere near it, before the ball was hooked off the line. Wealdstone kept the move alive and McFarlane was on hand to blast home at the back post.
The point was about right over the course of 90 minutes, but Forest Green fans would have gone home thinking about what might have been.
Forest Green Rovers: Ward, Long, Tozer, McAllister, McCann, Doidge, Sercombe, Knowles, Moore-Taylor, Robson, May
Subs: Searle, Lavinier, Osadebe, Omotoye, Bunker, Quigley, Cardwell
Wealdstone: Matthews, Cook, Dyer, Barrett, Boldewjin, Kretzscmhar, Marriapa, Tracey-Cesay, Wells-Morrison, McFarlane, Mason
Subs: Georgiou, Miller, Adams, Obiero, Hutchinson, Sandat, Thorpe
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Adam May (Forest Green Rovers)
READ MORE: Check out the full list of results in and around Gloucestershire from Saturday right here
