New Lawn Saturday, December 17th, 2016 k/o 15:50   National League Attendance: 1,818         Forest Green Rovers 1-1 Dover Athletic
2016 /17

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Kieffer Moore marked his first game back at Forest Green following a return from his loan spell at Torquay United with a stoppage time equaliser on an eventful day at The New Lawn, writes Richard Joyce. The towering forward notched his tenth goal of the season late on to earn a point as he turned home Shamir Mullings knock down at the death. Moses Emmanuel’s header earlier in the second half had given Dover the lead, but Mark Cooper’s men fought back in the Nailsworth fog to draw. The fog made life difficult for both teams, but the game itself was called into question, when during the warm up a local grid connected power cut delayed kick-off for 45 minutes with the floodlights out and power down in the stadium. When things did getting going however it was FGR who worked the first opportunity, but Charlie Clough was unable to get a good connection on Charlie Cooper’s delivery from a corner. Debutant Shamir Mullings blasted wide just before the half hour mark, while shortly after Cooper made a brilliant block to prevent Dover’s Aswad Thomas from hammering in at the back post. Mullings, making his first appearance since signing from Chelmsford, almost marked his first game with a goal when he saw his header from a dinked Darren Carter cross well-defended. And fellow new addition Manny Monthe almost hit the net himself a minute later, but his header was defended as effectively. The opportunity of the first half came the way of Dover’s leading marksman Ricky Miller. Sam Russell’s brilliant push over the bar denied the attackers fabulous long distance strike though. Another fine save this time by former FGR keeper Steve Arnold just before the break denied Moore who had managed to get clear only to see his effort smothered. Following half time Emmanuel almost cleverly steered home Miller’s low cross for the visitors, while Arnold’s fantastic block denied Mullings who had done well to latch onto Cooper’s similar delivery into the box from the right. After Russell had saved well from Thomas and Ross Lafayette, Dover finally found a way through, and it was Emmanuel who broke the deadlock. He headed in Ricky Modeste’s cross to put the Kent side in front. The Forest Green response was almost immediate. Liam Noble’s cross to Moore saw the striker spin brilliantly on the ball before powering a low shot just wide of the post. In the final ten minutes Mark Cooper’s men upped the ante in the search for an equaliser. Arnold kept his side in front when he denied Ethan Pinnock’s header and Richard Orlu then made a brilliant hooked clearance off the line for the visitors to prevent Moore from finding the net. Clough saw two strikes go close when looking to cause chaos in the Dover box, but the leveller would come for Rovers, as Moore’s persistence in front of goal earned him a reward. Mullings’ header back into the busy bodies in the box was turned home past Arnold by Moore to ensure the spoils were shared as part of a last gasp finale. t Green Rovers Dover Athletic Player Goal (min) Sub Off 23 Sam Russell 3 Emmanuel Monthe Yellow Card 5 Charlie Clough Yellow Card 10 Marcus Kelly 64 12 Darren Carter 64 14 Kieffer Moore Yellow Card 90+1 15 Liam Noble C 16 Ethan Pinnock 18 Shamir Mullings 19 Rob Sinclair 74 20 Charlie Cooper Yellow Card Subs Goal (min) Subbed 4 Drissa Traore 74 7 Keanu Marsh-Brown 64 9 Christian Doidge 11 Elliott Frear 64 17 Dan Wishart dover 2 Sam Magri 3 Aswad Thomas 6 Richard Orlu 7 Ricky Modeste 9 Ricky Miller Yellow Card 15 Jamie Grimes C 16 Tyrone Sterling 17 Moses Emmanuel 70 84 18 Steve Arnold 23 Jack Parkinson Yellow Card 25 Ross Lafayette Subs Goal (min) Subbed 1 Mitch Walker 4 Chris Kinnear Jr 84 10 Tyrone Marsh 11 Mitchell Pinnock 26 Joe Healy