TAMWORTH 2 FOREST GREEN ROVERS 1
FOREST Green's Blue Square Bet Premier play-off hopes were chopped down in avoidable fashion at The Lamb.
Adam Cunnington's brace – taking his tally to four against Rovers this season – punished a woefully insipid first-half showing by Dave Hockaday's men.
Yan Klukowski hit back with his 13th goal of the season after the break, but the damage had been done.
The opener stemmed from Duane Courtney's long throw from the left, which was allowed to travel and drop at the back post for Cunnington to swivel and volley home.
That was just the fillip the strugglers needed, and Tommy Wright was unfortunate three minutes later to see a meaty header come back off the crossbar.
More awful defending saw Wright left unmarked from a free-kick and brought a fine reaction save from Sam Russell, and Stuart Hendrie was caught offside in burying the rebound.
A horribly uncomfortable afternoon for the visitors took another turn for the worse six minutes later when James Norwood floored Marcus Kelly with a shoulder barge and picked up his tenth caution of the season – incurring a two-match ban in the process.
Half an hour had passed before there was a serious threat on the home goal, as Reece Connolly – making his first start – worked space for a shot from the edge of the area that was dragged wide.
It did nothing to change the momentum of the contest, and the Lambs deservedly doubled their lead before the break when Lee Hendrie's inswinging free-kick was glanced past a helpless Russell by Cunnington.
Hockaday made a double change at the start of the second half, replacing Dale Bennett and Al Bangura with Jamie Turley and Jamie Collins.
And less than three minutes later the deficit had been halved, Norwood's neat footwork creating space for a low cross that was prodded past goalkeeper Tony Breeden by Klukowski.
Tamworth eventually regained their composure, but they were breathing a sigh of relief when Chris Stokes got his forehead to a Klukowski corner and saw his effort go inches wide.
A minute later an even better chance went begging, Norwood racing onto Paul Green's defence-splitting pass and lifting his shot over Breeden and past the far post.
Breeden had to be alert to stop Klukowski's header from a Green cross, and that proved to be the final meaningful act of a failed rescue mission.
See Monday's Citizen for Peter Orchard's match overview and match reaction.
Forest Green: S. Russell; J. Hodgkiss, D. Bennett (J. Turley 46), E. Oshodi, C. Stokes; P. Green, A. Bangura (J. Collins 46), K. Forbes; Y. Klukowski, R. Connolly, J. Norwood; Subs not used: E. Asafu-Adjaye, M. Vieira, Y. Odubade.
FOREST Green's Blue Square Bet Premier play-off hopes were chopped down in avoidable fashion at The Lamb.
Adam Cunnington's brace – taking his tally to four against Rovers this season – punished a woefully insipid first-half showing by Dave Hockaday's men.
Yan Klukowski hit back with his 13th goal of the season after the break, but the damage had been done.
The opener stemmed from Duane Courtney's long throw from the left, which was allowed to travel and drop at the back post for Cunnington to swivel and volley home.
That was just the fillip the strugglers needed, and Tommy Wright was unfortunate three minutes later to see a meaty header come back off the crossbar.
More awful defending saw Wright left unmarked from a free-kick and brought a fine reaction save from Sam Russell, and Stuart Hendrie was caught offside in burying the rebound.
A horribly uncomfortable afternoon for the visitors took another turn for the worse six minutes later when James Norwood floored Marcus Kelly with a shoulder barge and picked up his tenth caution of the season – incurring a two-match ban in the process.
Half an hour had passed before there was a serious threat on the home goal, as Reece Connolly – making his first start – worked space for a shot from the edge of the area that was dragged wide.
It did nothing to change the momentum of the contest, and the Lambs deservedly doubled their lead before the break when Lee Hendrie's inswinging free-kick was glanced past a helpless Russell by Cunnington.
Hockaday made a double change at the start of the second half, replacing Dale Bennett and Al Bangura with Jamie Turley and Jamie Collins.
And less than three minutes later the deficit had been halved, Norwood's neat footwork creating space for a low cross that was prodded past goalkeeper Tony Breeden by Klukowski.
Tamworth eventually regained their composure, but they were breathing a sigh of relief when Chris Stokes got his forehead to a Klukowski corner and saw his effort go inches wide.
A minute later an even better chance went begging, Norwood racing onto Paul Green's defence-splitting pass and lifting his shot over Breeden and past the far post.
Breeden had to be alert to stop Klukowski's header from a Green cross, and that proved to be the final meaningful act of a failed rescue mission.
See Monday's Citizen for Peter Orchard's match overview and match reaction.
Forest Green: S. Russell; J. Hodgkiss, D. Bennett (J. Turley 46), E. Oshodi, C. Stokes; P. Green, A. Bangura (J. Collins 46), K. Forbes; Y. Klukowski, R. Connolly, J. Norwood; Subs not used: E. Asafu-Adjaye, M. Vieira, Y. Odubade.