Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 2
Andy Cook made a stunning impact as the Mansfield Town substitute bagged a second-half brace to earn his side a point at promotion-chasing Forest Green Rovers.
Cook was introduced at the start of the second period with the Stags trailing to a sumptuous 30th-minute Aaron Collins’ opener for Rovers, his third in four games to hand Rovers the lead at the break in a fractious first-half which featured four bookings.
Mark Cooper’s side made it 2-0 on 61 minutes. Midfielder Ebou Adams burst forward and slipped in Celtic loanne Jack Aitchison, who picked his spot with a sweet finish to beat the sprawling Conrad Logan all ends up.
Rovers’ lead lasted barely a minute as substitute Cook planted a free header beyond Lewis Thomas from an Otis Khan delivery.
And Rovers pressed the self-destruct button again. Cook was on the spot again as his 74th minute strike squirmed through the gloves of Thomas to net parity.
Cook was denied his hat-trick with five minutes to go – Thomas getting enough on the ball to deny the red-hot striker.
Fresh from an anaemic loss at League Two title rivals Exeter City, Forest Green head coach Mark Cooper made one change. Fit again Liam Shephard came in for Udoka Godwin-Malife.
Free agent Elliott Frear, signed until January following his summer departure from Scottish Premiership Motherwell, started on the bench in his second spell at the New Lawn.
Nathan McGinley missed out due to injury and joined Matt Mills, Dayle Grubb, Kevin Dawson and George Williams on the treatment table.
From the get-go, and inside thirty seconds, Dom Bernard picked up a booking for a rash challenge on Mal Benning.
The game was stop-start in the opening 10 minutes with the shrill of the whistle putting the brakes on as both teams traded fouls - Aitchison for Rovers and Willem Tomlinson fortunate to avoid cards for over exuberance.
The match continued to lack cohesion. Mansfield’s Connor Shaughnessy incurred a yellow on 18 minutes – the Leeds United loanne ending a lung-busting Ebou Adams run.
Rovers were turning the screw and carved the best chance on 24 minutes. Instinctive feet from impish Aitchison and Shephard allowed Matt Stevens and eye on goal as he arrowed a strike into the body of Conrad Logan. Moments later Collins picked the pocket of Krystian Pearce but Logan rushed out to block.
The card count ticked on – Kellan Gordon going into the book on 28 minutes for clipping Aitchison.
Two minutes later and Rovers nosed ahead. In a scintillating move of free-flowing football the ball fell to Collins who picked his spot from the edge of the box with a sumptuous strike into the bottom corner and beyond Logan for his third goal in four games.
Adams became the fourth booking on 35 minutes as the combative Rovers’ midfielder caught Benning on the touchline.
Logan kept Mansfield in it, showing a strong glove to deny a Shephard fizzer.
Rovers started the second half as they finished the first. The ever-willing Stevens nodding wide from a Shephard cross and then a Carl Winchester driving run ended by another smart save from Logan.
Rovers made it 2-0 on 61 minutes. Adams burst forward and slipped in Aitchison, who picked his spot with a sweet finish to beat the sprawling Logan all ends up.
Rovers’ lead last barely a minute as substitute Cook planted a free header beyond Thomas from an Otis Khan cross.
Cooper ushered on Frear for Collins with 20 minutes to go, the Rovers’ winger back for a second spell.
Rovers pressed the self-destruct button again. Cook was on the spot again as his 74th minute strike squirmed through the gloves of Thomas to net parity.
Forest Green Rovers: Thomas, Bernard (Mondal 82), Shephard, Kitching, Rawson, J Mills, Winchester, Adams (Morton 90), Aitchison, Stevens, Collins ( Frear 70)
Subs not used: Wollacott, Allen, Godwin-Malife, Taylor Bookings: Bernard 1, Adams 34, J Mills 85
Mansfield Town: Logan, Benning, Preston, Pearce, Bishop, Khan, Maynard (Knowles 91), Shaughnessy, Tomlinson (Cook 45) , Gordon, Hamilton (Afolayan 58)
Subs not used:Sterling-James, Olejnik, Clarke ,Smith
Bookings: Shaughnessy 18, Gordon 28 ,Benning 72, Pearce 93
Star Man: Carl Winchester
Attendance: 2,276
Mansfield fans: 309
Referee: Ollie Yates
Next up: Forest Green travel to Morecambe on Tuesday, (7.45pm).
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