Conference

Forest Green Rovers 4 Aldershot Town 2

THE lights went out twice at The Lawn but Forest Green showed enough New Year's Eve spark to continue their splendid Conference revival.

Bristol City's on-loan Guy Madjo was once again the star of the show with a brace of goals on 48 and 71 minutes. The bustling 21-year-old Cameroon star should have gone home clutching the match ball had it not been for his wretched penalty miss at the death.

Forest Green worked hard for this victory and in truth should have put the game to bed in a first half that saw skipper Jon Richardson, Ben Harding and Madjo all hit the woodwork, Julian Alsop also saw a header cleared off the line.

Perfect start

Gary Owers' side got off to the perfect start on seven minutes. Ben Harding's scampering run across midfield saw the on-loan MK Dons star beat former Bristol City manager Brian Tinnion to the ball to feed the impish Alex Meechan, who eased past Darren Barnard to lift a right-footed cross into the box for Alsop to flick the ball beyond Nikki Bull.

Nonetheless, Tim Sills threatened an immediate Aldershot riposte, but nodded wide. However, Rovers nosed further ahead on ten minutes.

Skipper Jon Richardson arrowed in a free kick that found the head of Alsop and as the ball broke Paul Wanless spectacularly produced a scissor-kick from an acute angle.

Despite the one-way traffic, Rovers keeper Ryan Clarke was forced into an arching save to deny John Turner. Three quick bookings for Matt Gadsby, Wanless and Madjo took the high tempo flurry out of Forest Green.

Sills offered Aldershot hope on the cusp of the interval. Clarke smartly blocked Turner's initial strike, only for Sills to sweep home the free-ball.

Power failure

The real drama surfaced after the break. In circumstance more akin to a Christmas pantomime, Richardson's flick from a free-kick fell to Madjo and as he lashed in his own rebound the first power failure kicked in.

Despite the failing light the game continued for 11 minutes before referee Mike Mullarkey brought a halt to the action. Play resumed 15 minutes later and Madjo made it 4-1 from Alsop's cross on 71 minutes.

Again the floodlights failed and plunged The Lawn into more darkness.

Power was restored again after a 25-minute delay. It was nerve-jangling stuff, as the game would now be abandoned in the event of a third blackout.

However, the lights stayed on. Madjo should have made it five but he spurned his hat-trick chance after being brought down by Dave Wingfield.

At the death Hassan Sulaiman curled in a stunning 20-yard strike to gain scant Aldershot consolation.

Forest Green player ratings: Clarke 6, Simpson 7, Richardson 8, Graham 7, Searle 7, Meechan 8, (Teixeira 90), Gadsby 6, Wanless 7, Harding 8, Alsop 9, (Rendell 88), Madjo 9. Subs Not Used: Harrison, Rogers, Garner. Booked: Madjo, Wanless, Gadsby. Goals: Alsop 7, Wanless 10, Sills 45, Madjo 48, 71, Sulaiman 90. Star performer: Julian Alsop Attendance: 1,051. Referee: M Mullarkey (Devon).