Forest Green Rovers salvaged a late draw against Scunthorpe United at the Bolt New Lawn, the match finishing 1-1 after a tense 90 minutes plus stoppage time. While the result maintains Forest Green’s unbeaten start to the season, it also sees them relinquish the top spot they held prior to kick-off. Scunthorpe, meanwhile, extended their own undefeated run, further cementing their position in the top half of the National League table.
The match began explosively, with Declan Howe silencing the home crowd by putting Scunthorpe ahead with a goal inside the first two minutes. This marked only the second time this season that Forest Green had found themselves trailing, presenting an immediate test of their resilience.
Forest Green responded with sustained pressure, but Scunthorpe defended resolutely. The first half saw a series of challenges, resulting in yellow cards for Forest Green’s Abraham Kanu and Tre Pemberton before the half-hour mark. Seeking to inject fresh impetus, Forest Green manager Robbie Savage made a double substitution at half-time, bringing on Harry Cardwell and Yahya Bamba in place of Neil Kengni and Pemberton.
Scunthorpe manager Andy Butler made his first change in the 57th minute, replacing goalscorer Howe with Carlton Ubaezuonu in a tactical switch. Forest Green responded swiftly, introducing Jayden Clarke for Nick Haughton just two minutes later. The home side continued to probe, searching for a way through the stubborn Scunthorpe defence.
Further substitutions followed in the 72nd minute, with Forest Green introducing Adriel Walker for Abraham Kanu and Scunthorpe bringing on Mark Beck for Daniel Whitehall. As the clock ticked down, Scunthorpe replaced Alfie Beestin with Dubem Eze in the 79th minute, aiming to solidify their midfield. Forest Green made their final change in the 81st minute, James Balagizi replacing Kairo Mitchell. Shortly after, Scunthorpe’s Callum Roberts received a yellow card for a foul.
As the game entered added time, Forest Green’s persistence finally paid off. In the 98th minute, substitute James Balagizi scored, sparking jubilant scenes among the home supporters. The late equaliser ensured a share of the points, preserving Forest Green’s unbeaten record.
The draw moves Forest Green Rovers to 21 points, placing them second in the league. Scunthorpe United, with 15 points, now occupy 7th position.