Wretched Rovers crash at New Lawn
A LETHARGIC looking Forest Green crashed to their first Blue Square Premier defeat of the season at the New Lawn last night.
Ben Wright gave Alan Devonshire’s side a 1-0 lead at the break and substitute Andrew Yiadom rubbed further salt into Rovers’ wounds by striking a goal in second half stoppage time.
Fresh from their rousing 6-1 victory over Alfreton Town, Rovers started in positive fashion.
Kieron Forbes' pass on three minutes released James Rowe, but his cross into the box saw Charlie Griffin struggle to administer clean purchase. Two minutes later goalkeeper Matt Bulman was almost caught out when he wobbled on a Luke Graham back-pass.
Rovers’ early fluidity evaporated as Aswad Thomas and Merrick James–Lewis went agonisingly close for the visitors.
However, Rovers rallied somewhat and Ryan Peters was fortunate not see red on 20 minutes when he hauled down Reece Styche after chasing down a booming Bulman kick.
A rare free-flowing passing move involving Rowe, Forbes and Yan Klukowski ended with Styche forcing Nathan McDonald to glove away for a corner, but Rowe's set-play delivery across the box failed to find a Rovers man.
Disaster struck Rovers on 35 minutes. Rowe's pass got an unfortunate assist from the match referee and Wright's strike took a deflection and went under Bulman at the near post.
Rovers rallied and Griffin went close from 25 yards, but the impressive Jai Reason almost made it two for Braintree as he flashed wide.
Deep into stoppage time Chris Stokes' curling cross saw Jamie Turley plant a downward header wide.
Dave Hockaday’s hairdryer more than likely hit the team at half-time, and the introduction of Jeffrey Imudia for a sick Jamie Turley and Wayne Turk for an off-form Chris Allen, raised Rovers' intent.
However, Braintree remained a threat. Sean Marks out-muscled Jared Hodgkiss and Imudia, but his fine approach play ended as he curled beyond Bulman and the far post.
Yiadom then saw his goalbound strike superbly nodded away by a flying Imudia, as Braintree looked set for a second.
With time ebbing away, Styche did well to turn a poor Hodgkiss cross into a goalscoring opportunity, which brought the best out of McDonald.
The impressive Yiadom opened up Rovers with five minutes to go but Marks could only find the side-netting.
Rovers should have found parity with minutes to go, but Griffin inexplicably contrived to flash wide following Bulman’s huge kick and Robbie Matthews’ aerial flick.
Rovers upped the tempo in stoppage time. Hodgkiss switched the ball from his right boot to his left, but curled his hit into McDonald.
Braintree rubber-stamped their victory in the 95th minute. Styche appeared to be bundled over in his own half but the visitors broke and Reason's clever pass allowed Yiadom to chip the ball over Bulman for a stoppage time second.
