FOREST GREEN 2
MAIDSTONE 2
WITH legendary England and Leeds United defender Terry Cooper watching from the stands, his managerial son Mark saw Forest Green squander a two-goal lead in their final home game of the regular season.
"El Tel “ swapped the warm climes of Spain for the green rolling hills of the Cotswolds and the former Bristol City and Birmingham City boss would have been pleased with Rovers’ front-foot start.
Goals from the recalled Keanu Marsh-Brown and a Kevin Loko own-goal gave Rovers a seemingly unassailable two-goal cushion, but Maidstone showed their resilience to grab a point through second-half strikes from teenager Harry Phipps and a Joe Piggot point-save with 10 minutes to go.
Earlier, in the final home game of the regular season boss Cooper shuffled his pack - making changes to the team that lost at bottom of the table Southport on Easter Monday.
Drissa Traore replaced Sam Wedgbury in midfield.
Meanwhile, Cooper was forced to revert to a back four - Curtis Tilt forced to sit out after suffering concussion at Southport. Elsewhere, the enigmatic Marsh-Brown was handed a start.
Rovers are looking for momentum ahead of the play-offs and Christian Doidge was a whisker away from giving his side a first minute lead – planting his header over from a Dale Bennett cross.
Cooper’s side were red-hot – on-loan Wigan striker Kaiyne Woolery fizzing wide against his old club and the Charlie Cooper arrowing over from 25 yards - all this in the opening seven minutes.
Rovers were trying to find their range – giant defender Manny Monthe galloping forward and planting a post-shot high and wide.
Constant pressure told as Rovers took an 11th-minute lead.
A period of passing was finished with a touch of class from Marsh-Brown, who picked his spot from the edge of the box to claim his eleventh goal of the season.
Maidstone were pinned in but Pigott tried to break the shackles – scuffing wide from a good position.
Rovers remained potent. Slip-shod passing from Alex Fisher allowed Rovers to breeze forward – Liam Noble’s stinger parried by Lee Worgan with Woolery firing the free ball over. Seconds later Worgan did well to fall on a Woolery skidder. Worgan was certainly busy- flying through the air to paw away a Doidge turn and spanking strike from a Woolery assist.
Rovers continued to hold sway. Doidge drilled beyond the goal frame after Noble rolled the ball into his feet.
Maidstone rallied on the cusp of the interval – former Forest Green striker Yemi Odubade curling over from a free-kick and then Fisher hitting a skidder off target.
Only a last-ditch Loko recovery tackle prevented Doidge bagging a stoppage-time second for Rovers.
Loko could count himself unlucky 10 minutes after the resumption as Bennett's driven cross deflected off him to wrong-foot Worgan after Monthe had instigated the move with a sweeping pass.
With the game seemingly over – Maidstone sparked into life. Sam Russell pushed a Seth Nana-Twumasi cross into the inviting path of Phipps for a 61st-minute goal.
Cooper made swift changes just beyond the hour – the excellent Traore making way for Wedgbury and Marsh-Brown taking a rest for Omar Bugiel.
Boosted by the goal, Maidstone were gaining a foothold. Piggott was a smidge from beating Russell from the edge of the box, and at the other end Noble clipped the bar after a Woolery shot was charged down.
With the clock ticking it was Maidstone who snatched parity with 10 minutes to go. Russell spilled a Bobby-Joe Taylor fizzer for Piggot to pounce.
Deep into stoppage-time Worgan showed quick feet to block at the feet of Woolery and as the ball broke Nana- Twumasi blocked on the line.
FGR 2 MAIDSTONE UNITED 2
Marsh-Brown 11, Lokko 55 (own goal)
Phipps 61, Pigott 81
FGR V MAIDSTONE
SHOTS ON TARGET 10 / 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET 12 / 6
CORNERS 4 / 2
FOULS CONCEDED 8 /9
OFFSIDES 4/ 2
YELLOW CARDS 0 / 1
0 RED CARDS 0
STAR MAN: Drissa Traore (Forest Green)
ATT: 2,030
ENTERTAINMENT: 3 /5
REFEREE: Mr Neil Hair: 7/ 10
FOREST GREEN: (4-4-1-1) Russell 5; Bennett 7, Ellis 7, Monthe 7, Wishart 6 ; Traore 8 (Wedgbury 63, 6), Marsh-Brown 6 (Bugiel 66, 6), Cooper 7, Woolery 8; Noble 6; Doidge 6 (Mullings 79, 6).
Subs not used: Robert, Kelly.
MAIDSTONE UNITED: (4-3-3) Worgan 7; Nana-Twumasi 7, Lokko 6, Okuonghae 6, Mills7; Paxman 6 ( Richards 70, 6), Phipps 8 ( Acheampong 90), Prestedge 8; Pigott 8, Odubade 6, Flisher 5 (Taylor 62, 6).
Subs not used: Coyle, Loza.
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