SKYBET LEAGUE TWO

FOREST GREEN ROVERS 3

CREWE ALEXANDRA 2

ALEX IACOVITTI’S 93rd minute winner saw Forest Green boss Mark Cooper perform an Antonio Conte celebration dash along the touchline as the roof came off the New Lawn.

Cooper danced along the rain-soaked touchline as his side made it four wins from five unbeaten games.

Earlier, Crewe nosed ahead through a Chris Porter 14th minute strike. Christian Doidge levelled things up before the break, but the Railwaymen edged in front when Jordan Bowery netted. Rovers fought back with Doidge netting his second with seven minutes to go before Iacovitti raised the roof in stoppage-time.

Cooper made just one change from the draw at Crawley Town – Dale Bennett returning from suspension in place of Manny Monthe.

Unbeaten in four, Rovers opened in confident fashion as they slipped into gear. Pleasing on the eye, Cooper's side caressed the ball about with ease, but for all their ball work it was Crewe who nosed ahead on 14 minutes. Cooper had warned of the danger of his namesake George Cooper and it was the man with the most assists in League Two, who conjured the cross for Chris Porter to touch in.

The stuffing had gone out of Cooper’s side. Crewe’s Cooper was proving a thorn in Rovers’ side and Brad Collins did well to claw away a teasing Cooper cross.

Chances were scarce and Rovers had to wait until the 39th minute to conjure their first shot on target – Drissa Traore pulling the trigger from the edge of the box into Dave Richards.

Keanu Marsh-Brown thumped one over from just outside the area as Rovers tried to find their range.

They found their range a minute before the break. Scott Laird met a curling Jack Fitzwater cross and his thumping strike was touched in by Doidge for his second goal in as many games.

The half ended with Cooper and Crewe counterpart David Artell exchanging strong opinions to referee Christopher Sarginson.

Crewe started on the front foot. Porter should have had his second of the match when Brad Collins misjudged a cross and Porter’s header dropped wide of the inviting net, with Rovers all at sea.

Rovers went into choppy waters on 55 minutes. Cooper pulled the ball back for Jordan Bowery to smash home.

A spat involving Crewe’s Chris Dagnall and Marsh-Brown raised the temperature and moments later Traroe was booked for an adjudged foul on Conor Grant. Dagnall was next to go in the book as he was carded for holding back Brad Collins.

Rovers hunted parity. Sub Dan Wishart saw his cross half-cleared by Brad Walker and the free ball was stabbed wide by the surprised Doidge.

As the clocked ticked, Rovers poured forward. Brown flashed wide and Doidge was a toe away from touching in a Bennett cross.

Rovers kept knocking. Sub Manny Monthe spanked one from outside the box, Doidge getting a touch for the ball to hit the post, but seconds later Rovers were level. Wishart’s cross saw Doidge force the ball over the line with seven minutes to go to grab his ninth goal of the season.

Doidge flicked a header into Richards from a Brown cross as Rovers looked for a late winner.

They found it in the 93rd minute – Iacovitti touching home after from a Brown corner after the ball had comeback off the post from Bennett.

Forest Green Rovers: B Collins; Fitzwater, L Collins, Iacovitti; Bennett, Traore (Monthe, 78), Osbourne, Laird (Wishart, 61), Brown, Marsh-Brown (Bugiel, 71); Doidge

Subs not used: Pickering, Randall, Roberts, James

Attendance: 2,221

Away fans: 413

Star Man: Isaiah Osbourne

Next up: SkyBet League Two: Chesterfield V Forest Green, Tuesday, November 21