NATIONAL LEAGUE

FOREST GREEN 1

EASTLEIGH 1

ON a night of frustration, Forest Green had to come from behind to settle for a point against National League title rivals Eastleigh.

Mikael Mandron opened the scoring after the break for the Spitfires, but in-form striker Rhys Murphy levelled things up for Rovers, who saw assistant manager Scott Lindsey sent to changing rooms near the end of a fractious match.

Earlier, boss Mark Cooper made three changes from the team that lost at Dover.

Captain Aarran Racine was left out of the squad and former Eastleigh loanee Matt Tubbs was dropped to the bench.

Meanwhile, Keanu Marsh-Brown, left out at Dover, returned to the starting line-up in place of Fabien Robert. Ben Jefford returned and Christian Doidge was afforded a start up front.

Liam Noble was named captain and Marcus Kelly came into the squad for the first time this season after recovering froma long-term calf issue.

Rovers started brightly. An aerial leap saw Doidge get the better of man mountain Reda Johnson for Marsh-Brown to pull the trigger from 25 yards with a skidding strike that flashed just wide of the target. Rovers kept pressing – Jefford clipping a ball back for Noble to fizz into the advertising boards.

Mandron demanded a low save from Sam Russell in a brief Eastleigh forage forward and then got his legs in a tangle as he shaped to shoot.

Eastleigh’s James Constable saw an early yellow for a lunge on Noble, who had come short to take a Russell pass.

And it was Russell who saved Rovers with a wonderful dive across his goal to touch a stinger wide from Luke Coulson.

However, Rovers still looked more likely to unlock the door with the pink-booted Marsh-Brown always a threat.

Frustrations grew and Cooper chucked his water bottle down in disgust as Drissa Traore was floored by Mandron.

Rovers were hit five minutes after the break – Coulson worked his way into the box to cross across  for Mandron to rifle home.

Cooper and Lindsey responded and summoned Elliott Frear from the bench on 53 minutes - the impish winger making his 100th league bow for Rovers.

Frear was quick to make his mark as his 57th-minute cross was swept in by Murphy for his sixth goal of the season.

But Eastleigh threatened.

Only a stunning one-on-one stop from Russell denied Constable the chance for Eastleigh to regain the lead as slipshod defending presented him the opportunity.

Eastleigh were a threat down the wings as Rovers huffed and puffed at times, much to the touchline angst of frustration of Cooper and Lindsey.

Eastleigh had a few over-zealous moments with Jake Howells and Johnson handed bookings.

Searching for a winner, Cooper introduced Tubbs with seven minutes to go.

In the dying minutes assistant Lindsey was sent to the stands and then the dressing room after the referee took a dislike to his touchline discussion with Eastleigh midfielder Andy Drury.

Forest Green (4-1-3-2) Russell; Bennett, Jefford, Clough, Pinnock; Traore ( Frear, 53) ; Carter, Marsh-Brown ( Kelly, 67), Noble; Murphy (Tubbs, 83), Doidge.

Subs not used: Robert, Moore.

Star Man: Sam Russell.

Attendance: 1,444.  Away: 153.

Next: FGR v Bromley (Saturday, September 17, 3pm).