Forest Green Rovers boss David Horseman blamed ‘individual errors’ as his side threw away a two-goal lead against Grimsby Town to draw 2-2.
A brace from Donovan Wilson cancelled out Kyle McAlllister’s first-half double in an entertaining encounter.
The Mariners produced a second-half comeback to take a point whilst Rovers remain in the relegation zone.
“We will replace them (the players), but we haven’t got that luxury yet,” claimed Horseman. “They try so hard but it’s no good if you don’t win the games.”
Grimsby were inches away from an opener when Harvey Rodgers poked an effort towards goal following a corner but Jordan Moore-Taylor cleared off the line.
Town goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright produced a fine reflex save after Jacob Maddox’s deflected cross wrong-footed him.
McAllister almost opened the scoring with a curling long-range effort that cannoned back off the crossbar.
Cartwright had to be alert to deny Maddox following a fortuitous bounce of the ball landed at his feet but Grimsby’s shot-stopper was out quickly to smother.
The impressive midfielder wasn’t to be denied from the penalty spot on 37 minutes after Callum Jones was deemed to be tripped in the area.
McAllister doubled Forest Green’s lead when he collected Tyrese Omotoye’s pass and produced a lobbed effort over Cartwright, out of the reach of Grimsby’s despairing defenders.
Rodgers’ glanced a header just the wrong side of the post following Anthony Glennon’s fine corner.
Jamie Robson was next to go close as he headed McAllister’s corner fractionally past the far post.
Grimsby halved the deficit when Wilson diverted Gavan Holohan’s goalward effort into the corner following a deep corner.
Wilson capitalised on Reece Welch’s poor touch and slid past James Belshaw in the Forest Green net.
Rovers almost won it late on but Omotoye’s header came back out off the upright and Sean Robertson’s stoppage-time effort flew over Cartwright’s crossbar.
Post-game, Horseman added: “The first half was superb, the manner of the goals that we conceded was sickening.
“It’s been a trend that the cross towards the far post that they end up scoring from. We have got good quality players to come back but they’ve been out for far too long.”
