GATESHEAD 3

FOREST GREEN 1

FOREST GREEN’S title aspirations were dealt a hit in the North East.

With league leaders Lincoln City shocking Premier League Burnley to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, Rovers are now four points behind their title rivals, who have two games in hand.

However, with 14 games to go the race for the title could have more twists and turns as second-place Dagenham lost at home to Guiseley.

In-form Gateshead were on the money as a brace from Danny Johnson and one from Wes York put Neil Aspin’s side in command with Rovers losing in the league for the first time this year.

Earlier, Forest Green boss Mark Cooper had made two changes from the team that beat Boreham Wood. Rob Sinclair (thigh) missed out on his 100th league start – his place was taken by Omar Bugiel, fresh from last week’s outstanding cameo – and Manny Monthe came in for Dan Wishart.

Play-off chasing Gateshead started on the front foot with Wes York fizzing wide.

Rovers struggled to find any fluidity in the opening 20 minutes as the Heed harried, and Neil Aspin’s side pounced on 21 minutes.

Rovers’ Kaiyne Woolery air-kicked on the edge of the box, and the Heed countered with the dangerous York playing in Danny Johnson for a thumping finish beyond former Gateshead keeper Sam Russell. Rovers’ riposte was immediate with Jake Gosling shooting from outside the box and Heed ‘keeper James Montgomery touching the ball onto the base of the post.

Rovers were relying on the torpedo throws of Mark Ellis in an attempt to find any impetus.

They were left with a mountain to climb when Johnson opened up Rovers and smashed his second past Russell on 30 minutes, his fourth goal in three games.

Rovers were agonisingly close to getting back into the game when Montgomery raced out of his box to stop Woolery and the ball fell to Christian Doidge, who took aim from the corner of the box only for his hooked strike to kiss the bottom of the post.

Cooper reacted at the break by introducing Wishart for Monthe.

Rovers made a positive start to the second-half when Woolery scored after 49 minutes. Jake Gosling picked out Omar Bugiel who forced a diving save from Montgomery, but Woolery reacted quickly to drill the free ball home.

But Gateshead made it 3-1 six minutes later. Ethan Pinnock headed away a corner but York scored with aplomb from the edge of the box. Shell-shocked Rovers were nearly 4-1 down when Johnson hit the post and Paddy McLaughlin was ruled offside when he put the rebound in the net.

Rovers responded with Marsh-Brown forcing a save from Montgomery after neat passing between Woolery, Bugiel and Cooper.

Frustration grew when Rovers hit the goal frame for a third time – Doidge hit the post from a Shamir Mullings pass with seven minutes to go – and then Pinnock fizzed wide at the death. It was a frustrating day for Rovers on Tyneside and only the chest of Russell prevented York making it four in stoppage time.

Forest Green (4-3-3) Russell; Bennett, Pinnock, Ellis, Monthe (Wishart, 46); Cooper, Noble, Bugiel Mullings (76); Gosling ( Marsh-Brown 60), Woolery, Doidge.

Attendance: 916.

Away: 144.

Star Man: Ethan Pinnock. Imperious at the back and a danger when moving forward.