Forest Green boss Ady Pennock insists his side deserved the bragging rights in National League draw against Gloucestershire rivals Cheltenham Town

FOREST GREEN ROVERS 2

CHELTENHAM TOWN 2

IT may not have been Wenger versus Mourinho, but Forest Green boss Ady Pennock felt his side deserved the bragging rights over Gary Johnson’s Cheltenham Town.

Pennock’s jump in the air and fist pump celebration followed Kurtis Guthrie’s point-saving header with seven minutes to go to help the National League leaders to a deserved point in the first Gloucestershire derby of the new season.

Pennock said: “I thought first half to go in 1-0 down was an injustice at half-time. We got back into the game and I thought we would go on and win it.

“Even though it was a draw - I think the bragging rights swung our way.”

The wily Johnson, who was a win away from guiding Bristol City into the Premier League, had been cranking-up the pre-match pressure - billing the clash between the leaders and second-placed Cheltenham a ‘cup final’.

CELEBRATE: Forest Green captain David Pipe                      Pic: Shane Healey

He was patrolling his technical area like an angry wasp in the first half as in-form Cheltenham failed to trouble a Rovers side, who bossed the opening exchanges of a tepid start to this eagerly anticipated bout.

Amari Morgan-Smith handed Cheltenham the lead just before the break, but David Pipe, with his first ever goal for Rovers,  netted parity in the second half. Harry Pell restored the lead for the Robins, but Guthrie made sure the spoils were sharedin a high-octane second period.

Bereft of suspended midfield duo Rob Sinclair and Sam Wedgbury, Pennock turned to former Birmingham City and Cheltenham Town man Darren Carter, who has spent the past three weeks training at the New Lawn.

He moved Pipe  from right-back to partner Carter in a new-look midfield engine room.

Left-back Marcus Kelly returned to the starting line-up after serving his one-game suspension.

Pennock also named Stoke City Under-21s goalkeeper Dale Eve on the bench after brokering a loan deal with his former club.

It was nip and tuck in the opening exchanges, but Cheltenham dealt comfortably with three successive Rovers’ corners inside the opening 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, Kelly won a foot-race to snuff-out ai Morgan-Smith break as the match ebbed but hardly flowed.

Cheltenham were edgy and Rob Dickie’s mistake presented the recalled Elliott Frear a 25th minute opportunity, but he fizzed over from a Carter assist.

However, only a superb Dale Bennett covering tackle denied the Robins an opening when Pipe surrendered possession in midfield.

Keanu Marsh-Brown livened up a somewhat sombre derby as his fizzing strike from outside the box was deflected wide for Rovers’ fifth corner of the half.

Three minutes later Dillion Phillips produced a wonder stop to deny an off-side Darren Jones from a lofted Pipe ball.

Tempers frayed with Carter going into the book for a foul on Kyle Store.

It was Rovers who remained a threat and Phillips did well to beat away a 41st minute stinger from Aaron O’Connor following slack Cheltenham defending.

Dillion was almost left red-faced moments later as he fumbled a Bennett cross for Frear to head into the side-netting.

Guhrie was a thorn in the Robins' side and Aarron Downes was handed a yellow for a trip on the leggy striker.

Rovers were in the ascendancy. On the cusp of the break O’Connor and Frear linked, but nobody added a touch to the inviting ball across the box.

Rovers had dominated the first half, but were dealt a blow in stoppage time.

In a rare Cheltenham attack, Morgan –Smith touched home from a George McLennan cut-back.

Rovers need an early response after the interval  and a muscular break from Pipe finished with his hit smashing the post.

Cards were becoming prevalent and  Pell followed Guthrie into the book as he held back the scampering Frear.

From the resulting Marsh-Brown free-kick the unmarked Pipe nodded home  a 64th minute equaliser.

Rovers were rocking. Frear worked some space to draw a plunging save from Dillion.

At the other end, Morgan-Smith escaped to fire in a strike, which Maxted parried into the path of Barthrham, but he was equal to the follow-up.

Cheltenham's tails were up and they regained their lead on 77 minutes.

The diminutive Jack Munns opened Rovers up for Pell to dink the ball over the exposed Maxted.

However, Pennock was punching the air with delight with eight minutes to go.

The outstanding Frear floated over a cross for the leaping Guthrie to nod home at the far post.

Forest Green: J Maxted, D Bennett, M Kelly, D Jones, A Racine, D Pipe (C Clough 90), D Carter, K Marsh-Brown ( D Sam-Yorke 76) , A O’Connor (J Parkin 79), K Guthrie, E Frear.

Sub not used: D Eve.

Cheltenham Town: D Phillips, J Barthram, G McLennan, K Storer, A Downes, D Parslow, H Pell, D Wright, A Morgan-Smith, J Munns, R Dickie.

Subs not used: C Kitscha, B Waters, A Hall, J Rowe, L Vaughan.

Attendance: 3,127.

Star Man: Elliott Frear.