SKYBET LEAGUE TWO

FOREST GREEN 1

CHELTENHAM TOWN 1

FOREST GREEN and Cheltenham Town shared the spoils in their first-ever football league meeting.

The Gloucestershire derby, dubbed El Glosico, saw Mark Cooper's Forest Green nose ahead on eight minutes after a Jamie Grimes howler allowed hot-shot striker Christian Doidge a simple opportunity to beat Cheltenham keeper Scott Flinders, notching his 12th goal of the season and seventh in five games.

Cheltenham responded – Harry Pell spanking over from a Mo Eisa cut back. However, livewire Mo Eisa levelled things up on 39 minutes for Gary Johnson's side, with his ninth goal of the season after former Forest Green striker Danny Wright teed him up.

Isiah Osbourne was running the game but pulled up on 28 minutes after picking Pell’s pocket and being clipped by Kevin Dawson.

The first booking of the derby saw Pell go into the book for a high lunge on Rovers’ captain Lee Collins.

Keanu Marsh-Brown saves his best for the games that matter and his howitzer induced a save from Flinders. It was end-to-end, former Forest Green striker Wright fizzing in a strike which Brad Collins did well to clutch.

The bookings were squared up on 38 minutes when Osbourne cleaned out Carl Winchester in front of the baying Cheltenham fans.

A minute later and Cheltenham were level. Wright rolled in Eisa who buried his shot beyond the helpless Bradley Collins. Rovers were all at sea. Eisa was catching the eye – almost finding the top corner with an exquisite curler.

Cheltenham were bossing it. On the cusp of the break a lovely Kevin Dawson dink allowed Pell a free hit, but Brad Collins did well to block.

Rovers suffered a blow at the break, the influential Osbourne failed to recover from his knock, Mark Roberts came on and Lee Collins moved into midfield.

Five minutes into the second-half and Rovers were indebted to Brad Collins, the Chelsea loanee stunning one-handed save kept the scores locked as he repelled Eisa’s point-blank fizzer from a Dawson cross.

Wright planted a header over from a Joe Morrell cross as Cheltenham hunted a second and then Brad Collins touched a Winchester drive over.

Cheltenham sub Kyle Storer first action saw him booked for a foul on Lee Collins after 75 minutes.

Cheltenham looked the more likelly winners.

Rovers survived a let off in the dying embers. Brad Collins missed the ball from a Winchester cross but Fitzwater spared his blushes with a last-gasp clearance.

Near the end, Rovers were left spitting feathers when Fitzwater fell awkwardly under a high ball, the West Brom loanee was left on the ground as play continued - he was eventually stretchered off.

Deep into stoppage time, Dawson’s foul on Rovers’ sub Omar Bugiel sparked a mass player brawl, with Cheltenham’s Dawson and Joe Morrell booked along with Bugiel.

Forest Green nearly pinched it at the end, Lee Collins fizzing wide with the last slice of action.

Forest Green Rovers: (3-4-2-1) B Collins; Fitzwater, L Collins, Iacovitti; Laird ( Wishart, 60), Traore, Osbourne ( Roberts 45), Bennett; Marsh-Brown, Brown (Bugiel, 71); Doidge.

Subs not used: Pickering, Gomes, James, Randall.

Cheltenham Town: S Flinders; C Winchester, T Moore, J Grimes, W Boyle; K Dawson, H Pell, J Morrell, J Sellars; M Eisa (K Storer, 74), D Wright.

Subs not used: R Lovett, N Atangana, D O'Shaughnessy, M Bower, F Hinds, G Lloyd.

Referee: Scott Oldham.

Attendance: 3,641

Cheltenham fans: 985

Star Man: Brad Collins

Next match: Saturday, December 2; FA Cup second round: Forest Green v Exeter City, 3pm.