FOREST GREEN ROVERS 2 DARTFORD 3
NOW unable to even better last season's points tally, Forest Green at least showed stomach for a fight after swallowing some large helpings of misfortune.
A controversial opener by Danny Harris set the tone for a first half that bordered on the shambolic, Elliott Bradbrook's penalty doubling Dartford's lead before Eddie Oshodi was sent off.
The ten men were vastly improved after the restart, but goals from Chris Stokes and Jamie Turley could not prevent a fourth straight defeat that nudges Rovers down to eighth in the Blue Square Bet Premier.
Top scorer James Norwood's return from suspension at least pepped up the home attack, while two experienced heads were also recalled in the shape of captain Jared Hodgkiss and Magno Vieira.
Norwood's sixth minute cross presented Yan Klukowski with a decent opportunity in a central position, but he failed to get a proper connection on the volley and Darts keeper Csaba Somogyi made a comfortable catch.
Two minutes later the visitors were ahead, Sam Russell palming an inswinging corner onto the crossbar and Harris stabbing the rebound through a sea of legs in the six-yard box and apparently across the line.
Referee Robert Whitton consulted with his assistant before awarding the goal, prompting fury from the home players and staff and some sheepish celebrations from Harris and company.
Shoulders quickly sagged in the Rovers ranks, with misplaced passes heralding some all too familiar groans from a sparse crowd.
The mood darkened still further on 24 minutes when Stokes clumsily felled Lee Burns inside the area, inevitably leading to a penalty that was clinically converted by Dartford skipper Bradbrook.
Bradbrook forced a low save from Russell before Ryan Hayes curled over a free-kick from 22 yards, awarded for Oshodi's challenge on Burns.
If Oshodi thought he had been reprieved he was mistaken, as in the 29th minute he lunged recklessly on Hayes and referee Whitton wasted no time in brandishing the red card.
It was an unnecessary challenge with Hayes under pressure at the edge of his own penalty area, although the ex-Watford defender is no hatchet man and was surely guilty of over-enthusiasm rather than malice.
Now Rovers were in a horrible mess, yet they regathered themselves and Stokes was narrowly off-target with a glancing header from a 33rd minute corner.
Kieron Forbes let fly with a 25-yarder that deflected inches wide and Vieira's delivery from the resulting corner found substitute Dale Bennett in lots of space, but he could only nod firmly into the gloves of Somogyi.
Momentum remained with the men in green at the start of the second period, and the lead was quickly halved when Stokes soared to meet Norwood's free-kick from the left and planted a header into the far corner of Somogyi's net.
But Dartford hit back within four minutes, Harris swinging over a deep cross from the left for Bradbrook to notch his second goal of the evening.
Chances were spurned at either end by Charlie Sheringham – son of former England striker Teddy – and Reece Connolly before Turley rammed home from a short corner to make it 3-2 with 11 minutes left.
One further chance fell to Bennett in the fourth minute of stoppage time, but he could not direct his back-post header on target under pressure.
Forest Green: S. Russell; J. Hodgkiss, J. Turley, E. Oshodi, C. Stokes; K. Forbes, A. Bangura, Y. Klukowski (D. Bennett 32); M. Vieira (Y. Odubade 90), R. Connolly (J. Rowe 79), J. Norwood; Subs not used: E. Asafu-Adjaye, M. Bulman.
Dartford: C. Somogyi; L. Burns, T. Bonner (J. Rogers 57), M. Arber, A. Green; R. Hayes (N. Collier 85), J. Wallis (J. Evans 83), T. Champion, E. Bradbrook, D. Harris; C. Sheringham; Subs not used: L. Noble, L. Wells.
Referee: R. Whitton (Essex)
Attendance: 575
Star man: James Norwood
NOW unable to even better last season's points tally, Forest Green at least showed stomach for a fight after swallowing some large helpings of misfortune.
A controversial opener by Danny Harris set the tone for a first half that bordered on the shambolic, Elliott Bradbrook's penalty doubling Dartford's lead before Eddie Oshodi was sent off.
The ten men were vastly improved after the restart, but goals from Chris Stokes and Jamie Turley could not prevent a fourth straight defeat that nudges Rovers down to eighth in the Blue Square Bet Premier.
Top scorer James Norwood's return from suspension at least pepped up the home attack, while two experienced heads were also recalled in the shape of captain Jared Hodgkiss and Magno Vieira.
Norwood's sixth minute cross presented Yan Klukowski with a decent opportunity in a central position, but he failed to get a proper connection on the volley and Darts keeper Csaba Somogyi made a comfortable catch.
Two minutes later the visitors were ahead, Sam Russell palming an inswinging corner onto the crossbar and Harris stabbing the rebound through a sea of legs in the six-yard box and apparently across the line.
Referee Robert Whitton consulted with his assistant before awarding the goal, prompting fury from the home players and staff and some sheepish celebrations from Harris and company.
Shoulders quickly sagged in the Rovers ranks, with misplaced passes heralding some all too familiar groans from a sparse crowd.
The mood darkened still further on 24 minutes when Stokes clumsily felled Lee Burns inside the area, inevitably leading to a penalty that was clinically converted by Dartford skipper Bradbrook.
Bradbrook forced a low save from Russell before Ryan Hayes curled over a free-kick from 22 yards, awarded for Oshodi's challenge on Burns.
If Oshodi thought he had been reprieved he was mistaken, as in the 29th minute he lunged recklessly on Hayes and referee Whitton wasted no time in brandishing the red card.
It was an unnecessary challenge with Hayes under pressure at the edge of his own penalty area, although the ex-Watford defender is no hatchet man and was surely guilty of over-enthusiasm rather than malice.
Now Rovers were in a horrible mess, yet they regathered themselves and Stokes was narrowly off-target with a glancing header from a 33rd minute corner.
Kieron Forbes let fly with a 25-yarder that deflected inches wide and Vieira's delivery from the resulting corner found substitute Dale Bennett in lots of space, but he could only nod firmly into the gloves of Somogyi.
Momentum remained with the men in green at the start of the second period, and the lead was quickly halved when Stokes soared to meet Norwood's free-kick from the left and planted a header into the far corner of Somogyi's net.
But Dartford hit back within four minutes, Harris swinging over a deep cross from the left for Bradbrook to notch his second goal of the evening.
Chances were spurned at either end by Charlie Sheringham – son of former England striker Teddy – and Reece Connolly before Turley rammed home from a short corner to make it 3-2 with 11 minutes left.
One further chance fell to Bennett in the fourth minute of stoppage time, but he could not direct his back-post header on target under pressure.
Forest Green: S. Russell; J. Hodgkiss, J. Turley, E. Oshodi, C. Stokes; K. Forbes, A. Bangura, Y. Klukowski (D. Bennett 32); M. Vieira (Y. Odubade 90), R. Connolly (J. Rowe 79), J. Norwood; Subs not used: E. Asafu-Adjaye, M. Bulman.
Dartford: C. Somogyi; L. Burns, T. Bonner (J. Rogers 57), M. Arber, A. Green; R. Hayes (N. Collier 85), J. Wallis (J. Evans 83), T. Champion, E. Bradbrook, D. Harris; C. Sheringham; Subs not used: L. Noble, L. Wells.
Referee: R. Whitton (Essex)
Attendance: 575
Star man: James Norwood