FOREST GREEN triallist Yan Klukowski bagged a second half brace to spare Forest Green’s blushes in a testy clash against Cirencester Town at the New Lawn on Friday night.

Forest Green boss Dave Hockaday included striker Josh Klein-Davies, who has been released by Cheltenham Town after appearing in all of the club’s pre-season friendlies, and the former Bristol Rovers man helped himself to a goal in his brief second half appearance. Rovers were boosted by a 20 minute cameo from midfielder Mike Fowler after his lengthy lay-off with a broken ankle.

Zamaretto Premier Division Cirencester Town made a mockery of a two -division chasm by taking a deserved 20th minute lead. Strike duo Marcus Palmer and the impressive Carl Brown opened up Forest Green for teenager Rob Hoskin to strike comfortably past James Bittner.

Earlier, Bittner showed sharp-footed movement to get to a Matt Walsh free-kick that deflected off the Forest Green wall. Cirencester continued to impress. Jamie Reid fizzed wide from Palmer’s pass and the former should have made it two as he ghosted in behind Jack Winter from Sean Wood’s pin-point cross. Brown warmed Bittner’s hands from 30 yards, but the tide turned as Reece Styche fired into Matt Bulman’s side-netting. Nonetheless, Brian Hughes’ side rallied with Brown going close with a deft chip just before the break.

Toothless before the interval, Rovers found parity on the hour. Second half substitute Klukowski blasted past Bulman. Former Cirencester winger Lee Smith tested Bulman’s agility as Rovers gained a foothold. However, poor Forest Green marking saw Town regain the lead as Lyndon Tomkins thumped in a header from Tom Etheridge’s corner with eight minutes to go. However, their lead last barely sixty seconds. James Baldwin’s fine pass from midfield released Smith, who made ground down the right to roll the ball across the box for Klein Davies to slide in. A minute later Baldwin picked out Klokowski for his second of the night.

Forest Green: J Bittner, J Winter, S Bartlett, I Herring, L Jones, L Ayres, L Fowler, C Armstrong, R Styche, R Dyer, S Davies.

Subs: M Fowler, Z Jones, Y Klukowski, C Henry, L Smith, J Else, J Baldwin, J Klein-Davies, O Cleaver, B Pugh, M Etheridge.

Cirencester Town: M Bulman, S Mason, M Walsh, C Thompson, S Wood, M Sysum, J Reid, T Etheridge, M Palmer, C Brown, R Hoskin Subs: J Bevan, L Tomkins, N Davies, A Corcoran, P Banks.

Attendance 226.

Star man: Luke Jones.