FA Trophy First Round

Forest Green 2

Didcot Town 2

FOREST Green will face an unwanted Tuesday night FA Trophy replay at minnows Didcot Town as the Railwaymen knocked the Conference big guns off track.

Despite losing midfielder Clovis Kamdjo to a contentious first half red card, it looked like full steam ahead for the ten-men of Rovers who coasted to a 2-0 lead thanks to wonder goals from Jon Parkin and Marcus Kelly, but the Southern League outfit, who play three divisions and 63 places below, derailed Ady Pennock’s side with sub Lance Williams and non-league hot-shot John Mills forcing another tie.

And the underdogs almost snatched it in injury time but, Jack Longford fired over with just an exposed Sam Russell to beat.

The replay is certainly an unwelcome distraction for Rovers, who will have one eye on a crucial Conference clash at play-off rivals Grimsby Town on Friday night.

“We need a replay like a hole in the head and it’s great news for Grimsby, who we play on Friday night,” said a frustrated Pennock, who was equally annoyed at the first-half dismissal of Kamdjo.

He added: “The referee said he went in with two feet but we’ve got still photos that show this wasn’t the case and we’re appealing.”

Earlier, Pennock was forced to draft in the previously ignored Magno Vieira and Academy right -winger James Fisher in the absence of Lee Hughes (back) and Rob Sinclair (groin) .

Rovers started on the front foot and went for the throat. Elliott Frear made space down the left and stood the ball up inside the box-Jon Parkin missed it - and Chris Stokes, playing in an unorthodox right midfield role, failed to get any purchase on the ball.

Frear was at the hub of Rovers’ early attacking intent and his floater saw Kurtis Guthrie nod over. The Jersey –born striker then watched his fizzer touched over by Didcot keeper James Foster It took the Railwaymen 20 minutes to register their first strike in anger-and what a chance it was. Mills opened Rovers up, but Josh Dutton –Black slashed wide of Russell.

This tepid encounter soon spiced up with Rovers rocked by the part-timers.

They were given a mountain to climb as Kamdjo was handed a 23rd straight red for a meaty challenge on Andrew Bollard. Video evidence revealed the Cameroonian had won the ball cleanly.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Rovers looked a better unit with Kelly moving from left-back to dictate the play from central midfield.

The Nailsworth side should have been down to nine men with Luke Oliver fortunate not to see red when he tripped the speedy Mills inside the box after Jack Self had carved Rovers open on 26 minutes. Didcot were on a high. Bollard’s torpedo throw-ins were causing concern and Luke Carnell nodded just over.

Rovers searched for an opening with Frear stinging Foster’s hands and from the resultant Kelly corner-Danny Coles’ header crashed onto the underside of the bar. Coles was even more frustrated on the cusp of the interval as he saw Self hack his header off the line following a game of head tennis with Parkin and Guthrie.

Rovers required a positive start to the second half and any nerves were settled on 49 minutes when Parkin nonchantly looped a right-footed stab over Foster from 25 yards.

It looked game over when Kelly and Frear exchanged passes for Kelly to bend a sumptuous curler beyond Foster for a 54th minute second.

It was all Rovers. Parkin’s flicked strike almost catching Foster by surprise.

Kelly close to a second from a Parkin assist, but super glove work from Foster kept the score at 2-0.

However, Didcot found a slice of hope with 14 minutes to go. Sam Elkins floated a ball in for sub Williams to stab beyond Russell with his first touch of the game.Rovers sat back and Mills made it 2-2 with four minutes to go.

Russell had to be on the money as Mills turned and teed-up Pablo Haysham.

With an unwanted replay in the offing, Coles made a John Terry like break from the back, which finished with the former Bristol City man heading into Foster from a Frear cross.

Didcot should have snatched the tie in stoppage time but Jack Longford fluffed his lines as he fired over following the industry of Mills.

Forest Green: Russell; Pipe, Oliver, Coles, Kelly; Stokes, Kamdjo, Wedgbury, Frear; Parkin, Guthrie (Vieira 70).

Subs not used: Racine, McGrory, Fisher, White.

Attendance:517

Star Man: Marcus Kelly. Rovers need goals from midfield and he delivered and dictated when pushed into the engine room.