Green for go! Omar in records at Rovers

OMAR Bugiel’s name will go down in Forest Green Rovers folklore after he delivered the Gloucestershire outfit’s first three-point haul in the Football League.

Introduced as a 63rdminute substitute, the Lebanon international striker headed a dramatic winner 11 minutes from time as Rovers completed a remarkable fightback.

Trailing 2-0 and 3-1, Mark Cooper’s side appeared to be heading for a third straight defeat after goals from Fela Olomola, Otis Khan and Francois Zoko put the Glovers in charge.

But Rovers refused to throw in the towel and strikes from Christian Doidge, Reece Brown and Charlie Cooper evened things up before Bugiel came off the bench to head the winner.

Rovers boss Cooper said: “Credit to the players, because they refused to give in and kept at it. I always knew we had goals in us and believed we could score against that Yeovil side.

“Omar has been patient and waited for his chance and he took it well. It was a brave goal, but I’m sure he won’t mind the black eye he got scoring it.

“It was a dramatic afternoon and, when I’ve calmed down, I will pull the performance apart and look at some of the defending, which was horrendous.”

The visitors scored twice inside five minutes to stun home fans. Bradley Collins could only push Zoko’s angled shot into the path of Olomola, who tapped in from close range.

Khan then created and scored the second, dancing his way past a series of half-hearted challenges before going to ground under pressure from Cooper. He picked himself up to fire home from the spot.

Rovers reduced the arrears when Dale Bennett picked out Doidge at the far post in the 23rd minute. Yeovil restored their two-goal advantage 12 minutes later, Rovers defender Manny Monthe inadvertently nodding Khan’s cross on for Zoko to net.

Undaunted, Rovers came back prior to half-time, Brown curling a freekick into the top corner from 20 yards out.

Forest Green drew level at the start of the second half, Krysiak allowing Cooper’s 25yard shot to squirm through his hands before Bugiel’s winner.

Glovers boss Darren Way said: “We have to sort out the back line and I’ll be speaking to the board about bringing people in.

“We were 3-1 in front and had a great opportunity to do well and get a result on the road. We cannot defend like that and expect to get away with it.”