Struggling Forest Green hold high-flying AFC Wimbledon

Posted Tuesday, January 02, 2024 by PA

Forest Green battled to 1-1 draw with promotion-chasing AFC Wimbledon but remained bottom of League Two.

Matty Stevens’ headed opener was cancelled out by Ali Al-Hamadi’s close-range finish in an action-packed first half.

Rovers made the perfect start on four minutes when Kyle McAllister drifted an inviting cross for Stevens who glanced into the bottom corner.

AFC Wimbledon levelled soon after when Connor Lemonheigh-Evans found Al-Hamadi who rounded goalkeeper Luke Daniels and lifted over a last-ditch challenge.

Al-Hamadi then produced a fine solo effort but his low-driven shot thundered back out off the upright.

Callum Morton was denied a certain goal by Huseyin Biler’s block just a couple yards from goal following Stevens’ low cross as Rovers threatened on the counter-attack.

Jake Reeves teed up substitute James Tilley whose low strike from the edge of the penalty area was parried wide by Daniels as Dons pressed for a winner.

But it was Forest Green who were denied a late winner when Matty Taylor struck into a goal-saving block before Fankaty Dabo’s goalward effort was scrambled off the line in stoppage-time.