Jayden to the rescue in ‘scandal’ of a finish

JAYDEN Stockley grabbed a dramatic lastgasp equaliser as Exeter twice came from behind to earn a draw and leave Forest Green boss Mark Cooper fuming at his “scandalous” defenders.

League Two rivals Forest Green looked to be heading into the last 64 when late goals from Scott Laird and Christian Doidge threatened to turn the tables on the Grecians.

But Stockley had the last laugh, turning the ball in from close-range after Rovers failed to deal with a 94th minute corner.

Doidge gave Rovers a 25thminute lead, only for Jake Taylor and Stockley to score in the 57th and 65th minutes respectively to put the visitors on top in a topsy-turvy contest.

With his side just seconds away from victory, Forest Green boss Cooper reacted angrily to Exeter’s equaliser and was duly sent to the stands by referee Gavin Ward for throwing a water bottle onto the floor.

He fumed: “When you are 3-2 up with 20 seconds to go, you really should hold on and win the game. When you’ve fought that hard with a patched up team to stay in the game and are on the verge of a brilliant victory, not competing for a cross and a header is scandalous.

“We need defenders who can go and put a head on it and a goalkeeper who can come and punch when it’s a crucial time like that.

“The equalising goal is absolutely criminal. If you are a goalkeeper, you come and punch the cross. If you are a defender, you compete for the header.

“There was a lot of emotion at the end and the referee has sent me off for throwing a water bottle onto the floor.”

Doidge netted his eighth goal in six games to give Forest Green a 25th minute lead, the Welshman racing onto a through ball to slide home.

Exeter manager Paul Tisdale introduced Ryan Harley and switched to a 44-2 formation early in the second half and Taylor restored parity two minutes later, heading in from a Lloyd James cross. Stockley headed in from Hiram Boateng’s centre seven minutes later.

But Rovers hit back, Laird bundling the ball over the line to level matters in the 88th minute and Doidge firing home his 14th goal of the season four minutes later.

Exeter boss Paul Tisdale said: “It looked like both sides could win it or lose it and it must have been exciting for the supporters.

“We looked as though we’d done enough, but fair play to them for coming back like that at the end.”