Super Styche foils Fleet
REECE Styche celebrated landing new three-year contract by securing a hard-fought point at Ebbsfleet.
Rovers' talisman banked parity on 71 minutes after substitute Ricky Shakes gave Liam Daish’s side a first half lead following Matt Bulman’s misjudgement.
Rovers certainly had cause for just complaint as three stonewall penalty shouts in the first half were brushed away and a second half elbow by Shakes on Chris Stokes went unpunished.
Earlier, manager David Hockaday kept faith with the side that lost at home to Braintree- and his decision seemed vindicated as his side hit the ground running.
Jared Hodgkiss will wonder how he missed the target in the open moments after James Rowe’s layoff saw the diminutive skipper burst into the box and drag his strike wide.
Rovers were growing in confidence and Charlie Griffin and Keiron Forbes served notice of their intent with two respective stingers from distance.
Then, Styche stepped on the gas to beat three Fleet defenders, but saw his shot blocked.
The game reached boiling point midway through the half with Forest Green having two contentious penalty claims brushed aside within 60 seconds.
Hodgkiss picked out Styche, but Clint Easton appeared to upend Styche as he shaped to shoot. Soon after Yan Klukowski muscled his way into the danger zone and as Styche got his shot in, Preston Edwards unceremoniously upended him, but despite the protests, Rovers’ claims were ignored.
However, the home side's first meaningful attack saw them nose ahead in the 35th minute. Jamie Turley was set to nod away Joe Howe's cross from the right, but Bulman came to punch but the ball dropped over him and Shakes had the simplest of finishes into an empty net.
Former Forest Green striker Liam-Enver-Marun should have punished his old side, but somehow missed the target with his free header.
Fleet started the second period in impressive fashion. The mercurial Enver-Marum skipped past Forbes and Rowe on the halfway line, but his mazy run was ended thanks to a smart Bulman parry and a Hodgkiss block from Michael West.
Fleet’s tails were wagging. Bulman beat away a 25-yard strike from Tom Phipp and then did even better to glove away a Shakes curler.
Bulman did well to find Griffin and from his assist Styche slashed wide from 35 yards as Rovers looked for a way back in. They found it with 19 minutes to go.
A sublime move saw Hodgkiss, Chris Allen and Forbes combine to allow Styche to run on and flick the ball past the advancing Edwards for his fourth goal of the season.
As the game entered its final stages, Enver-Marum saw yellow after he raised his boot into Bulman.
Rovers were again perplexed when Stokes nodded Rowe’s stoppage time corner down and Styche’s shot appeared to be blocked by a hand on the line.
