By Sam Heaney
Fleetwood Town achieved an unrivalled 13th away win of the season and maintained their hold at the top of the Blue Square Bet Premier with victory over Forest Green Rovers.
A late goal by substitute Rob Atkinson deep in added time at the end sealed the points against the side who handed top spot to Town on Tuesday by beating Wrexham.
It was always going to be a difficult game for Fleetwood and it was made even tougher when Rovers took the lead through Matty Taylor just after the half hour mark, but goals late on in each half from Magno Vieira and Atkinson landed the Cod Army victory.
Fleetwood made a bright start to the game when skipper Steve McNulty jumped clear to narrowly head over midfielder Danny Rose’s out-swinging corner just 2 minute into the game.
Vieira looked to increase on his 8 goal tally for the season with a dazzling run into the box only to fire a left footed shot over from a tight angle. It was a promising start for the Cod’s.
It was Forest Green’s turn to catch out the league leaders after 10 minutes when Taylor took a free kick from the left. Scott Davies was almost caught off his line but luckily the Fleetwood keeper managed to tip the ball over for a corner.
It wasn’t long before Davies was brought into action again after winger James Norwood took a shot from outside the area. Davies was more than a match for it and saved it comfortably.
The visitors suffered a blow on 17 minutes when Steve McNulty was replaced by Atkinson. The skipper had turned on his ankle but his last action was to receive a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
Town had Rovers defending an onslaught five minutes later. Vardy had a shot deflected and the loose ball found Pond at the back post. The defender’s header was only half cleared off the line and eventually landed at Atkinson’s feet but the substitute could only find the wrong side of the goal.
The deadlock was broken due to a costly mix up in the Town defence. A loose defensive pass found its way into the path of Taylor who raced into the box then calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner to put his side ahead.
Just over 40 minutes played, Vieira managed to cut in from the right and put in a weak-footed cross for top goal scorer Jamie Vardy. The header had no power behind it and trickled into the path of goalkeeper Sam Russell.
The goal lifted Forest Green and Town struggled to break down the home side but that changed just before the break. A driven shot from Mangan proved too hard for Russell to handle and Vieira reacted quickest to side foot the ball into the goal to equalize giving him his 3rd goal this week.
A frantic start to the second half saw the home team take the lead only for it to be ruled out for offside.
Eddie Ashodi came close with a headed opportunity but he could not direct it goal-wards and it looped over the bar.
Vardy then tested his luck with a left footed half-volley which just sailed over. A similar chance came to him just 2 minutes later, this time it was deflected over for a corner.
Henderson added to the second half full of chances when he cut in from the right hand side and attempted to find the far corner of the goal but got it all wrong as Davies collected the ball with ease.
Richard Brodie made an immediate impact after coming on as a substitute for the hard working Danny Rose. Firstly he cut in from the right onto his left foot and scuffed a shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Only a minute later left back, Alan Goodall crossed to the back post for the Brodie to head wide.
Russell suffered a thigh injury and was replaced by James Bittner following a lengthy delay.
Fleetwood continued to press for the lead and almost did that when Mangan hit a fierce strike towards goal which was caught and made to look easy by replacement goalkeeper Bittner.
Key player, Norwood, brought Town’s keeper into action yet again when he hit a low shot that brought out a good save in return.
10 minutes from time, the industrious Vardy looked odds on to score until he dragged his shot wide of the left hand post. A goal at that stage would have been more than welcome as Rovers proved difficult to penetrate.
Forest Green’s last shot of the game went to Matty Taylor which was a wasted chance, Michael Pook was the provider.
Atkinson eventually found the winning goal, on the 6th minute of injury time when a deep cross saw Bittner spill the ball mid-air. The Fleetwood centre half pokedhome form 7 yards and which gave the Cod Army three points, keeping them top of the league.
It was always going to be a close game with Forest Green having one of the best defensive records in the league, but Town battled to the very end and it proved vital as they travelled back from the south-west with all three points.
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