YORK CITY 2

FOREST GREEN 2

FOREST GREEN will have play-off semi-final second leg home advantage against Dagenham & Redbridge next week after an Omar Bugiel brace helped rubber-stamp a third-place finish and condemn York City to relegation.

A pulsating game saw Bugiel give Mark Cooper’s side the lead only for Rovers old boy Jon Parkin to level things up. Bugiel notched his second soon after. Parkin drew parity after the break and with 10 minutes to go his side were safe from relegation, but Guiseley broke Yorkshire hearts with a 90th-minute equaliser at Solihull to send the Minstermen down.

With one eye on the play-offs next Thursday, boss Mark Cooper tweaked his line-up. Top scorer Christian Doidge (back), Kaiyne Woolery (ankle) and Sam Wedgbury (knee) missed out. Charlie Cooper (calf) dropped to the bench, but Curtis Tilt returned to the squad following concussion and development player Olly Mehew was given a place on the subs bench.

York started on the front foot in a breathless opening three minutes – Parkin bringing the best out of his former Forest Green team-mate Sam Russell with a customary long-range dipper. Seconds later two Sam Muggleton torpedo throws hit the underside of Russell’s bar.

But it was Rovers who silenced the partisan home crowd with a goal on six minutes.

In their first meaningful foray, Dan Wishart set off on a marauding run from his own half and as he drove into the box he picked the perfect pass for Bugiel to score with unnerving aplomb beyond the flailing glove of Scott Loach.

Rovers had drawn the sting out of the game, but a dogged York responded – Parkin got in behind Wishart, but strike partner Vadaine Oliver somehow contrived to spoon the ball over the bar when scoring looked easier.

Rovers responded with an incredible passing sequence of more than twenty passes, which only ended with a York foul.

Rovers were bossing the game but they pressed the self-destruct button on 34 minutes. Russell’s pass to Drissa Traore saw the former Swindon Town man have his pocket picked by Simon Heslop for that man Parkin to stride forward and finish with aplomb.

Rovers' lead lasted just sixty-seconds as Bugiel bagged his second from a clever Fabien Robert assist.

On the cusp of the break, Shamir Mullings bolted onto a Traore prod to leave Hamza Bencherif in his wake and the big man showed soft feet to exchange with Robert for Bugiel to fire into Loach.

York needed a quick start and Rovers had Russell to thank as he gloved a deflected Asa Hall fizzer around the post in the opening seconds. They found their range in a blink of an eye as Parkin came alive in a crowded box to grab his second after 48 minutes from Amari Morgan-Smith’s deft touch.

Rovers were rocked and Hall’s downward header looked a certain goal, but Russell showed amazing dexterity to hook the ball away with his feet.

Cooper made a double sub just before the hour – Marcus Kelly and Curtis Tilt coming on for Traore and Marsh-Brown,  switching to a back three.

With news that York were safe in the as it stands table, the tempo of the game calmed with just Wishart smashing over for Rovers and Morgan-Smith fizzing into Russell for City.

Sean Newton found his way into the book for a nibble at Bugiel – sparking a brief bout of handbags, but with order restored.

Mehew came on for Rovers with 18 minutes to go.

It was nerve-jangling stuff for York as a late goal from Guiseley dropped the Yorkshire side back into the relegation zone.

Deep into stoppage-time York threw everything at Rovers in the hope of a late goal and Newton flashed wide as their hopes of the great escape ended.

Forest Green (4-2-3-1) Russell 8, Bennett 7 ( Mehew 72, 6) Ellis 6, Monthe 8, Wishart; Traore 7 (Tilt 59, 7), Noble 6; Robert 6, Marsh-Brown 6 ( Kelly 59, 6), Bugiel 8; Mullings 7.

Subs not used: Lefebvre, Cooper.

Attendance: 3,984.

FGR fans: 113.

Star men: Manny Monthe, Omar Bugiel and Sam Russell.