Stevenage Borough 2 Forest Green Rovers 2

Last updated : 27 November 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Stevenage earned only their second draw of the campaign against Forest Green and they left it late with two goals in the dying seconds from substitute Dino Maamria giving them a share of the spoils.

It had looked like one of those days for the home side as Forest Green snatched the lead on 18 minutes and sat back for almost the entire game.

Stevenage had the bulk of the possession without applying a cutting edge.

A second just five minutes after the interval for Forest Green appeared to have confirmed their win, but they had not expected Stevenage's dramatic late show.

Mark Beesley provided the first after drilling under the body of keeper Andy Woodman.

Stevenage battled to find a way back and came close with efforts from Anthony Elding, Craig McAllister and Michael Brough, while central defender Jason Goodliffe saw a header cannon back off the post just five minutes from the interval.

Beesley was again on target for Rovers with a strike on 49 minutes and it was a goal which appeared to knock the stuffing out the opposition as second-half chances proved few and far between.

But it was Maamria who set up the grandstand finish just a minute from the end when he forced the ball home after Elding had headed a corner back into his path.

With Forest Green rocking, Stevenage sensed there was to be a point from the game and it was Maamria who supplied the finishing touch when he struck home from 10 yards out after Forest Green fatally failed to deal with a cross.