Macclesfield 1 Forest Green 2 - full time
MACCLESFIELD TOWN 1 FOREST GREEN ROVERS 2
SUBSTITUTE Steve Brogan struck a 93rd minute winner on his debut for Forest Green in Cheshire, lifting them to second in the Blue Square Bet Premier.
Matty Taylor's fourth goal of the season was cancelled out in the second half by Matthew Barnes-Homer, five minutes after John-Paul Kissock had been sent off.
But Brogan had the final say, five days after arriving at the club from Guiseley.
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An ankle injury to Aarran Racine meant a first start of the season for Chris Stokes at left-back, with Ed Asafu-Adjaye shifting to right-back and Jamie Turley to the centre of defence.
Kieron Forbes had already struck the post when Rovers went ahead came ten minutes before half-time. It was as simple as they come, Taylor latching onto Sam Russell's booming punt downfield and maintaining composure to roll home.
The frame of the goal came to Macclesfield's rescue again on 55 minutes when Ben Wright bent a free-kick over the wall and saw it strike the angle of post and crossbar.
Four minutes later the hosts were left short-handed by the already cautioned Kissock, who was horribly late with a challenge on Stokes and was duly banished to the dressing room.
As so often happens Rovers seemed to find life tougher with a numerical advantage, and it was 1-1 in the 64th minute when Asafu-Adjaye's weak clearance under pressure dropped for Barnes-Homer to ram home.
Eventually Hockaday's men cleared their heads, and they struck aluminium for the third time in the match when Magno Vieira span into the box and fired against the post.
It looked like being a tale of frustration, but in the third minute of added time Asafu-Adjaye worked space for a right-wing cross and Brogan was on hand with the deftest of finishes from close range.
See Monday's Citizen for Peter Orchard's match overview and match reaction.
Forest Green: S. Russell; E. Asafu-Adjaye, J. Turley, E. Oshodi, C. Stokes; K. Forbes (R. Styche 85), A. Bangura, J. Collins; M. Vieira (S. Brogan 80), M. Taylor, B. Wright (Y. Klukowski 63); Subs not used: O. Koroma, P. Marsh.
Comments
by Chrisgump2011
Saturday, September 22 2012, 8:18PM
“What an immense performance from Rovers! As good as I've seen away from home.
Moss Rose was surprisingly noisy and intimidating but from the start Rovers passing was fast and slick and they carved chance after chance. Kissock should not have played out the first half - already booked from an elaborate penalty dive, he went hours late and studs in on Chris Stokes on what could have been a bone breaking challenge. He did not learn and repeated the dose soon after half time
Rovers made one mistake - Ed A-A heading into Eddie James Turley, the rebound falling to Barnes-Homer who crashed it past Russell. But the winner was yet another A-A inspired passing move around and through the Macclesfield mid field and defence, and a delicious final ball to Brogan
Both sides deserve credit for a superb game that had exuded class, but every Rovers player was brilliant, none more so than Kieron Forbes whose dancing moves would not have looked out of place on 'Strictly'
The one sour note was the foul abuse suffered by Rovers squad players and supporters in the Directors stand, from the idiots in front and behind us, throughout the game. Worst I've experienced in the Conference and quite unexpected from what is a very hospitable club. One lout was stood with a 12 or 13 year old boy - he and his colleagues should hang their heads in shame. The stewards should not have tolerated their behaviour
Next up Hereford on Tuesday night. C'mon Rovers”