Exeter City 2 Forest Green Rovers 2

Last updated : 06 December 2003 By Footymad Previewer

A late strike from Lee Phillips was enough to earn Forest Green Rovers a well-deserved point at high-flying Exeter.

Rovers looked lively throughout and took an early lead through Phillips before Exeter struck back with strikes from Glenn Cronin and Gareth Sheldon.

But with only six minutes left on the clock Phillips grabbed his second of the game to grab his side a point.

Rovers looked lively from the start and had the first shot of the game when Alex Meechan's long-range shot flew into the arms of the goalkeeper.

Exeter's best early effort came through a strike by James Coppinger from the edge of the box which was well saved by Steve Perrin.

Phillips opened the scoring with a speculative long range shot from 20 yards which took a wicked deflection off Santos Gaia before flying into the top corner.

Against the run of play Exeter pulled level midway through the half. Scott Hiley's long ball found Coppinger, whose attempted low cross was half cleared as far as Cronin and the skipper turned and fired the ball past Perrin.

After the break Exeter threw men forward and Dwane Lee forced Perrin to save well with a shot along the ground from the edge of the box.

The Grecians took the lead five minutes after the restart. Barry McConnell rolled the ball into the path of Sean Devine, who flicked the ball to Sheldon and the winger let fly with an unstoppable strike from 25 yards.

Coppinger should have stretched the lead on the hour mark. James Bittner's long clearance carried in the wind, but the striker could only lob the ball over the bar after finding himself clean through on goal.

With six minutes left Steve Cowe's free-kick was headed home by Phillips to steal a point for the visitors.