Tommy Leigh was on target for Accrington Stanley but a late Forest Green Rovers goal gave them the three points at the Bolt New Lawn.

In a rearranged game, last season’s League Two champions Rovers took a first half lead before Leigh celebrated his second goal of the campaign.

However a late winner, nine minutes from time, gave Forest Green their second win of the season and consigned the Reds to back- to-back defeats.

Stanley made one change to the starting XI which lost 2-0 to Ipswich on Saturday, bringing in Shaun Whalley for the injured Joe Pritchard.

The Reds forced the early pressure with Rovers keeper Luke McGee denying Sean McConville with his legs and also collecting the captain’s header.

Mitch Clark had a shot blocked while Harvey Rodgers headed over from a Doug Tharme long throw.

Forest Green were dangerous on the break, Connor Wickham firing straight at Lukas Jensen on 30 minutes in their first real effort on goal.

On their second, on 37 minutes, they took their chance. Reece Brown got the ball on the edge of the area and he twisted and turned into space, firing low into the bottom of the net.

Stanley had had plenty of shots – 10 – but only two on target in the first half.

The Reds started the second half well, Leigh’s ball into the area just needed a touch while Ethan Hamilton fired over the bar.

On 59 minutes, Stanley had a great chance when Whalley played the ball across the goal to Matt Lowe who was in the six yard box and McGee managed to scramble his effort clear.

A McConville free kick was narrowly wide before Stanley levelled on 76 minutes.

Clark got the ball on the right wing, worked his way to the by-line by evading a couple of tackles, smashed the ball into the area and Leigh was there to fire home.

There was almost a second immediately but a Hamilton strike took a deflection into the side netting.

However Forest Green struck on 81 minutes when sub Bryan Fiabema, who had only been on the pitch a matter of minutes, broke, fired into the box and Josh March drilled home.

Chelsea loanee Fiabema almost grabbed another when he capitalised on a slip but Jensen pulled off a superb save to deny him.

Stanley kept pressing with a Josh Woods effort deflected but John Coleman’s side were unable to grab a late equaliser.

Coleman picked up an added time yellow card for retrieving the ball out of his technical area for a throw-in.

Stanley: Jensen, Clark, Tharme, Astley, Rodgers, McConville, Hamilton, Coyle (Conneely), Whalley (Woods), Leigh, Lowe

Subs: Savin, Sangare, Nolan, Sloane, Fernandes

Yellow: Coyle

Attendance: 2007 (34 from ASFC)