Hednesford 1-1 Forest Green

Any hopes Conference strugglers Hednesford might have harboured of saving themselves from the drop were dealt a massive blow after their draw with Forest Green Rovers.

The Pitmen, languishing at the bottom of the Conference table, have now virtually been consigned to relegation and need the three teams above them to lose all their remaining games if they are to stay up.

But it was a vital point for Rovers, who are just a place above the drop zone.

The visitors started the stronger side and after nine minutes Alex Meechan beat the offside trap but his shot was easily saved by Hednesford keeper Mark Gayle.

A minute later a Scott Goodwin cross from the left had to be punched away by Matthew Ghent as Mickey Norbury was waiting to pounce.

In the 19th minute a long ball from Martin Fisher into the area found former Hednesford player Mark Cooper but his header was turned over the bar by Gayle.

Shortly after a Mark Shaw corner found Adam Lockwood whose header went inches wide of the far post.

Hednesford fashioned their best chance of the first half in the 44th minute when a cross from the left was met by Dean Craven, who shot narrowly wide from 15 yards out.

The home side came out more determined in the second half and in the 54th minute a free kick from Dean Craven was met by Mark Haran whose header went just wide of the post.

Five minutes later, Owen flicked on the ball to Leon Brown whose shot hit the side netting.

The home side finally took the lead when Norbury flicked on for Brown who controlled the ball with ease and as the advancing Ghent came out, he slotted home into an empty net for his first goal in the Conference.

But Rovers equalised in the 74th minute when Stuart Slater skipped around Stuart Evans and his inch perfect cross was met by Adrian Foster three yards out who nodded into the back of the net.

With ten minutes remaining, a Scot Goodwin free kick was met by Norbury's header which hit the top of the netting.

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Hednesford: Gayle, Evans, Haran, Shakespeare, Griffiths, Bagshaw, Craven, Owen, Goodwin, Norbury, Brown. Subs: Airdrie, Bonsall, Bradley, Leadbeater, Meacham.

Forest Green: Ghent, Cousins, Martin Foster, Clark, Lockwood, Clarke, Shaw, Cooper, Meechan, Adrian Foster, Slater. Subs: Bennett, Daley, Burns, Prince, Middleton.

Referee: A McGee (Liverpool)