Brave Scarborough Athletic sign off from FA Cup with battling loss against League Two Forest Green

Boro players congratulate Ryan Qualter on the opening goal of the game for the home side. PHOTOS BY RICHARD PONTER

Boro’s heroic FA Cup run is finally over, but as in the previous two games against Forest Green Rovers, there was plenty of drama and controversy.

Two late, hugely controversial offside decisions went against Jono Greening’s side (where is VAR when you need it!) as they went down 4-2 to the League Two side at the Flamingo Land Stadium, writes Steve Adamson.

Closely fought throughout, it was an entertaining, end to end encounter, as Boro once again more than matched their full-time opponents, with only the linesman's offside flag (or lack of it) separating the teams, and despite the defeat, the home players thoroughly deserved the standing ovation at the final whistle.

Rovers had the first goal attempt on seven minutes, when the skilful Tyrese Omotoye flashed a shot narrowly wide, then Boro also went close as Finlay Barnes and Kieran Weledji, who linked up well down the right all game, exchanged passes, before Barnes laid off to Frank Mulhern, who fired wide.

Boro fans cheers on their team against Forest Green. PHOTOS: RICHARD PONTER

Omotoye sent a through-ball to Sean Robertson, but Boro skipper Will Thornton intercepted, then at the other end, Mulhern’s 25-yard free-kick was easily held by Rovers keeper James Belshaw, but Boro opened the scoring on 29 minutes when Barnes, wide on the right, sent a free-kick to the back post, and Ryan Qualter’s header forced a diving save from Belshaw, but Qualter slammed in the rebound.

The visitors levelled within five minutes, when Boro keeper Ryan Whitley blocked a Callum Morton header, and Omotoye tapped the loose ball in from close range.

Luca Colville showed flashes of skill, and his ball into the box towards Alex Wiles was hacked clear by Darnell Johnson, as an even first half ended all square.

There was a frenetic start to the second half, as Qualter headed an in-swinging corner from Jamie Robson clear and Johnson headed a Robson cross wide, before Boro keeper Whitley’s long kick upfield sent Barnes through on goal, but Belshaw superbly tipped his shot away.

Boro players thank the fans after the final whistle.

Mulhern then dragged a shot wide, while for the visitors, Callum Morton had a fierce shot saved by the legs of Whitley, before they took the lead, when a Robson cross was punched away by Whitley, and Callum Wilson volleyed powerfully into the net.

Morton raced clear on goal, but was halted by a sliding tackle from the excellent Qualter, then Thornton’s strong tackle foiled Robson, and Barnes was on hand to clear when Stevens burst into the box.

Weledji headed a Maloney free-kick over, and when the lively Harry Green was fouled by Alfie Bendle two yards outside the area, Maloney curled the free-kick round the wall and against the left-hand post.

Rovers went 3-1 up on 83 minutes with a controversial goal, when Charlie McCann passed forward to Sean Robertson, who looked a yard offside, but no flag was raised, and he ran on to shoot last Whitley.

Boro sub Lewis Maloney closes in on Rovers' Tyrese Omotoye.

Brown had a shot blocked by Harvey Bunker, but they reduced the arrears when Maloney passed to Colville, and he turned and fired past Belshaw to make it 3-2.

The boisterous home crowd roared the team on, and a Brown cross was headed into Belshaw’s arms by Barnes, but any hopes of taking the game to extra-time were dashed with another hotly disputed goal for the visitors, when Teddy Jenks and Matt Stevens raced clear, the latter tapping home when Jenks laid off to him, and again the expected offside flag was not raised by the linesman.

Then to compound Boro’s misery, right at the end, two idiots from the crowd climbed over the barriers and raced the full length of the pitch towards the end where the Forest Green supporters were congregated.

BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Brown, Qualter (Green 70), Thornton, Gooda (Maloney 62), Purver, Wiles (Tear 70), Mulhern (Durose 62), Barnes, Colville.

FOREST GREEN - Belshaw, Johnson, Jenks (Mason 90), McCann, Robson, Robertson (Thompson 90), Welch, Omotoye (Sully 90), Dabo (Bendle 46), Bunker, Morton (Stevens 62)

REFEREE - Darren Drysdale

GOALS - BORO - Ryan Qualter 29, Luca Colville 86; FOREST GREEN - Tyrese Omotoye 34, Callum Morton 55, Sean Robertson 83, Matt Stevens 88.

CORNERS - BORO 1 FOREST GREEN 5

GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 10 (6 on target) FOREST GREEN 9 (6 on target)

YELLOW CARDS - BORO - Bailey Gooda; FOREST GREEN - Sean Robertson, Matt Stevens

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Purver

ATTENDANCE - 2,518 (52 away).