Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: cold, clear
Goals:
Forest Green: Symons 20', Preece 73'
United: Hatswell 34', Crow 66'

Forest Green Rovers:
Ryan Robinson, Jerry Gill, Mark Preece, Darren Jones (c), Paul Stonehouse; Alex Lawless, Jonathan Smith (Kaid Mohamed 64'), Lee Fowler, Simon Clist; Michael Symons (Curtis McDonald 69'), Andrew Mangan (Les Afful 69').

Subs not used: Terry Burton, Lee Molyneux

Booked: Jones foul 9', Lawless foul 31', Smith foul 59', Fowler foul 79'

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Phil Bolland, Wayne Hatswell, Anthony Tonkin; Ben Farrell, Danny Brown, Jon Challinor; Mark Beesley, Robbie Willmott, Danny Crow (Chris Holroyd 78').

Subs not used: Stephen Drench, Mark Convery, Felino Jardim, Jordan Collins.

Booked: Brown foul 16', Tonkin foul 75'

Cambridge United came from behind to lead in tonight's game as Danny Crow scored his first goal in United colours, but the home side struck back to share the points.

Gary Brabin made three changes to the team that beat Weymouth 1-0 on Saturday, calling up Danny Crow and fit-again pair Anthony Tonkin and Danny Brown in place of Lee McEvilly (suspended), Paul Carden (injured) and Jordan Collins (bench).

Forest Green manager Jim Harvey made two changes, recalling fit-again midfielders Simon Clist and Alex Lawless in place of Kaid Mohamed and Curtis McDonald.

With the home side in their usual black and white stripes, and United in amber and black shirts with white shirts and socks, the opening moments were cautious. An early shot by Michael Symons was simple for Danny Potter to collect, while in the ninth minute a Robbie Willmott shot deflected off a defender and the referee, who had played advantage earlier in the move, called play back to book FGR captain Darren Jones for a foul on Danny Crow.

United looked a yard off the pace as the home side began to put some promising moves together, and Lawless delivered a warning when he cut inside to send a shot dipping over the bar from outside the area, while Gleeson drew a save from Robinson at the other end on 14.

Further pressure from FGR saw Smith and Fowler try their luck with shots from outside the area, while U's skipper Danny Brown collected a 16th minute yellow card for a foul.

United's four-game run of clean sheets was ended in the 20th minute when Lawless beat Tonkin to deliver a low cross from the right and Michael Symons nipped in front of Gleeson to poke home his first goal for Forest Green.

The home side almost doubled their lead two minutes later at a corner when Preece got his head to a Clist corner but the ball was blocked on the line by Ben Farrell. The noisy travelling U's resumed their drumming and singing with greater volume and Hatswell drove a free kick wide before United earned a couple of corners, Mark Beesley forcing a save from Robinson on 24 when he turned onto a ball dropping on the right side of the box and the Forest Green keeper tipped it round the post.

A Hatswell free kick was blocked and Beesley had a shot turned wide as United began to look brighter, then Crow had a shot saved on the half hour. With a head of steam building up, the U's deservedly equalised on 34 when Challinor was fouled near the corner flag and Willmott's free kick was headed powerfully down and beyond Robinson by Wayne Hatswell.

Forest Green looked vulnerable after the goal, but they very nearly took the lead again on 38 when Clist's powerful low drive from the left side of the area was tipped smartly round the post at full-stretch by Potter. He was called upon again three minutes later when another Clist shot was blocked by Gleeson but was crossed in again for Preece to head at Potter.

The final chance of the half came as play entered stoppage time when Willmott's shot from the edge of the area was blocked for a corner and Bolland rose highest, but his header was tipped wide by Robinson with a reflex save.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"United recovered from a slow start and the shock of conceding a goal to level and finish the half strongly. They will be looking to maintain that momentum after the break."

Second half:
United started with a good build-up inside the opening moments by two former Forest Green men, Beesley playing a neat exchange with Tonkin and then meeting the return pass with a shot that he fired just inches wide.

But the match continued to be open and when Farrell lingered slightly too long on the ball a quick counterattack by Forest Green forced Phil Bolland into a good interception. Then on 52 Smith raced onto a ball over the top but was forced wide by Tonkin and fired high and wide, and two minutes later Willmott showed his pace to scamper away down the right and forced another corner when his cross was hacked behind.

Lawless fired well wide on 56, and then Crow led a swift breakaway by United and held the ball up, switching the play from right to the left where Tonkin was sent flying by Jonathan Smith who collected the fourth booking of the game.

Mark Beesley came close to giving United the lead when he burst into space in the area but Robinson did well to block the shot from close-range with his legs, and although Beesley met the rebound and controlled the ball near the byline, two defenders closed him down and his shot from a narrow angle was blocked by Jones.

But two minutes after Kaid Mohamed had replaced the limping Smith on 64, United took the lead with a fantastic flowing move.

Robbie Willmott picked up possession inside United's half and raced away down the left, beating two men before lifting a perfect cross to the far post where Danny Crow had kept pace and met it with a cushioned header to score his first goal for Cambridge United.

Jim Harvey responded immediately with a double substitution, Les Afful and Curtis McDonald replacing strikers Mangan and Symons in the 69th minute, and their fresh legs gave the home side the impetus to claw a goal back and level the scores.

It came on 73 when a free kick just inside the Forest Green half was headed away by Bolland but only as far as defender Mark Preece who tucked it inside the near post beyond Potter's grasp.

There was a collective intake of breath around the ground moments later as Afful was brought down in full stride by Tonkin right on the edge of the area, but Mr Beck waved away the half-hearted penalty claims before booking Tonkin and awarding a free kick on the line that Clist chipped over the wall and Potter tipped over the bar.

Gary Brabin sent on Chris Holroyd for Crow in the 78th minute, and seconds later Danny Brown was left flat on his back after getting Fowler's elbow in his face as they challenged for a high ball. Fowler was booked and Brown was happily restored to his feet.

In an end-to-end final ten minutes, Kaid Mohamed caused problems with his pace and direct style and United's defence had to make some hasty clearances, Bolland blocking a shot from the winger on 81 and Jones nodding Clist's cross wide a minute later, while Potter punched a Gill cross clear on 84.

The U's keeper came smartly off his line to snatch the ball away from Afful's feet on 88, and a minute later Gleeson got forward and tried an ambitious shot that floated wide. In stoppage time Willmott made another good run from halfway and threaded a ball into the area for Beesley, whose shot was deflected for a corner, and both sides had to settle for a point from this entertaining and open game.

Referee: Mr Simon Beck

Attendance: 789 (away 130)

Match Summary by match commentator Mark Johnson:
"Cambridge United missed the chance to go top of the Conference after squandering the lead against struggling Forest Green. The U's hadn't conceded in over six hours but that run of clean sheets came to an end when they started sluggishly and Symons put the home side ahead after 20 minutes. But after surviving a scare when Ben Farrell cleared off the line, Wayne Hatswell levelled against the run of play to turn the pendulum in United's favour. Danny Crow was on the end of a flowing move midway through the second half to put the U's ahead, but their previously solid defence couldn't hold the lead and Preece took a point for his side 15 minutes from time."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Robbie Willmott - for assiduous work down the flanks and roadrunner pace to set up the second goal. Honourable mentions to Mark Beesley who worked his socks off with some hard-working link-up play and was unfortunate not to score against his former club, and Danny Potter for some tremendous saves at crucial times."

Ref: Mr Beck - had an excellent game. He missed nothing, played advantage when he could, and produced cards when he needed. 8/10."

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