GARY OWERS trod the arduous Stroud Half-Marathon course on Sunday, and admitted he had contemplated taking his squad around the 13-mile energy sapper as a direct punishment for the FA Cup disaster 24 hours earlier.

Instead, he gave himself time on the course to contemplate the magnitude of an error-strewn defeat that saw his side relinquish a two-goal cushion and tumble to their third consecutive defeat against fellow Conference outfit Dagenham & Redbridge.

A number of players could now be in the 'last chance saloon' as Owers threatens a Lawn cull.

Visibly angry, Owers seemed to be at his lowest ebb as he tried to explain a performance of totally unacceptable proportions.

He fumed: "My players failed to take any responsibility today. We suffered again with individual errors, I said that last week and if I say it next week it is going to be too late for a lot of people."

Owers even dished out a rebuff to Forest Green's best player; Alex Meechan-who struck Rovers' second goal.

He said: "Meech (Alex Meechan) was my best player today, but I will still criticise him. If he wants to listen to us he would score three or four-but he doesn't."

It appeared to be a different story when Rovers raced into a fourth minute lead.

Paul Wanless found Meechan on the right, his cross brought an arching header from Julian Alsop, back at The Lawn on a three-month loan deal from Tamworth, his header was finger-tipped away by Tony Roberts, but former Plymouth defender Jon Beswetherick was alert enough to sweep in.

The diminutive Meechan was to the fore as he took Bruno Teixeira's pass in his stride and drew a fine save from his former Dagenham team-mate Tony Roberts.

Meanwhile, Sekani Simpson, with a leggy run, shot wide, as Rovers smelled further goals in a positive opening.

However, danger lurked, but Ryan Clarke quickly shrugged of last week's personal nightmare, to deny Chris Moore with his feet.

Rovers were in FA Cup dreamland on 27 minutes.

Meechan who showed good movement to plant a sweet strike beyond Roberts from just inside the penalty box picked up Teixeira's sloppy pass. Meechan came close to his second, but watched his strike hit the post after Wanless had conjured the opening.

However, Dagenham got back into the contest on 38 minutes. Jon Richardson's hand ball was punished.

The red-booted feet of the outstanding Chris Moore beat Clarke with a well hit free-kick.

That goal appeared to take the stuffing out of Rovers, and it was Dagenham who punished an out of puff Rovers.

Moore banked his second as one of Rovers' consistent performers Adam Garner saw his poor defensive header fail to find a flat-footed Clarke, leaving Moore to nip into the space to net deserved parity for John Still's side.

Garner was again found wanting when Tresor Kandol beat him for pace and lifted the ball over Clarke for a 74th minute winner.

ROVERS travel to Dagenham & Redbridge this Saturday (3pm).