Perplexed Braintree boss Angelo Harrop insisted Forest Green’s last-gasp winner was the most ‘bizzare’ goal he has ever witnessed.
With the Essex side on course for a point in Gloucestershire, the match took a dramatic late twist. Braintree’s Frankie Terry was receiving treatment for cramp from team-mate Ryan Clampin and Rovers were allowed to take a quick-fire throw-in which allowed Kyle McAllister to rifle home with three minutes to go and in the ensuing furore, Braintree coach Michael Brothers was red carded by referee Wayne Cartmel.
A flabbergasted Harrop said “That’s the most bizarre goal I’ve ever seen. He (Frankie Terry) has gone down, everyone is waiting for him to go and get treatment and he’s told the referee he wants treatment and we’ve got one player trying to help him because he’s on the floor stretching his hamstring as he’s got cramp and the referee has suddenly blown his whistle, no one is organised and they’ve gone on and scored, it was utter madness.”
Pictures: Peter Barnes
Earlier, a blistering opening saw Rovers’ Tom Knowles sting the gloves of Lucas Covolan. At the other end, Finley Wilkinson induced a plunging response from on-loan Bristol Rovers keeper Jed Ward. Braintree hit their straps and nosed ahead on 10 minutes – Wilkinson stroking beyond Ward from inside the box.
Rovers’ nose was blooded, but Steve Cotterill’s side netted parity 10 minutes before the break – Harry Cardwell stabbing over the line after McAllister’s strike was rebuffed by Covolan.
A cagey start to the second-half saw chances at a premium. Rovers tried to buck the trend in the 63 minute when a free-flowing move involving Manny Osadebe and McAllister allowed Knowles to strike inside the box, but it took a last-ditch block from Jermaine Francis to preserve the deadlock. Covolan’s fingers prevented an Adam May cross from creeping in as Rovers upped the tempo. As the clock ticked, Rovers’ substitute Christian Doidge clipped the Braintree post with 13 minutes to go. Rovers found their range with three minutes of normal time to go – McAllister hitting a delicious volley beyond Covolan. In the lead up to the goal, Braintree were left apoplectic after Rovers were allowed to take a throw-in with Terry being treated for cramp by his team-mate Clampin and in the ensuing melee, coach Brothers was red carded.
Braintree almost pinched a point in the 10th minute of stoppage-time but a strong glove from Ward preserved Rovers’ lead.
Despite sitting level on points with leaders Barnet, measured Forest Green boss Cotterill insisted his side should take no notice of the league table: “It’s still early on in the season, things are still shaping. That was a real difficult game for the lads today, a dangerous game and I thought their spirit and their movement in the end won us the game – that was a really good three points today and we were the better team.”
Forest Green Rovers 2 (Cardwell 35, McAllister 87 )
Braintree Town 1 (Wilkinson 10)
Team line-ups:
Forest Green (4-3-3): Ward 7; Osadebe 8, Inniss 8, Moore-Taylor 6, Robson 7; McCann 8, May 7, Sercombe 6 (Doidge 72, 7); McAllister 9 (Tozer 97), Cardwell 6 (Quigley 80, 6), Knowles 8 (Long 82)
Subs not used: Searle, Maddox, Bunker
Braintree (4-2-3-1): Covolan 6; Fyfield 6, Langston 6, Annesley 6, Terry 7 (Powell 90); Vennings 7, Robinson 6; Francis 7, Wilkinson 7 (Akinde 97), Blackwell 6 (Clampin 73, 6); Effiong 6 ( Balogun 85)
Subs not used: Cooper, Lisbie, Davidson-Phipps
Half time: Forest Green Rovers 1-1 Braintree Town
Referee: Wayne Cartmel
Star man: (Kyle McAllister Forest Green, attacking forward)
Attendance: 1,997
Rating: 4/5
Match statistics
FOREST GREEN V BRAINTREE
Shots on target: 8 3
Shots off target: 2 3
Corners: 5 4
Offside: 2 1
Fouls: 2 5
Yellow cards: 1 2
Red cards: 0 0
