Forest Green Rovers fell just short of an impressive comeback at Tranmere Rovers, but Keith Hill’s men emerged 3-2 victors.

The hosts raced into an early lead as Paul Lewis headed home after just 12 minutes, before veteran striker James Vaughan added a second two minutes after the break.

Substitute Elliott Whitehouse pulled one back for the visitors, but Tranmere restored their two-goal cushion inside the final fifteen minutes.

Substitute Scott Wagstaff headed home in stoppage time, before Rovers missed out on a brilliant chance to snatch a point.

Mark Cooper made three changes to the side that drew with Port Vale on Saturday as Jayden Richardson and Odin Bailey returned to the side, while Isaac Hutchinson made his debut.

Neither side were able to establish clear dominance in the first 10 minutes, Bailey having the only shot as he fired wide of the mark from the edge of the area.

Aaron Collins could well have got things off to the perfect start as he found himself in a foot race with former-FGR man Manny Monthe, but couldn’t beat Scott Davies from the edge of the box after a neat first touch.

The hosts quickly began to grow into the game and with just 12 minutes on the clock they were ahead.

Feeney got the better of Dan Sweeney on the left and lofted an expert ball into the area. Luke McGee couldn’t gather it, and Lewis nodded into the empty net.

McGee was again called upon just three minutes later as he stuck out a leg to deny a close-range header from Vaughan.

A quick spell of FGR pressure saw Nicky Cadden and Richardson both drill crosses into the area, but Cooper’s front men couldn’t capitalise.

Shortly after the half-hour mark, McGee was on his toes to deny Paul Lewis who directed a cross goalwards.

Cadden had the final chance of the half, as he bustled his way into the area before lifting a cross over those in the middle.

Tranmere started the second half as well as they had ended the first, and just two minutes after Darren Drysdale’s whistle, they doubled their advantage.

Calum McDonald got on the end of a clever one-two before cutting back to Vaughan who simply couldn’t miss.

Half-time substitute Jamille Matt almost made the perfect start to his game, but could only watch as he looped an effort onto the cross bar after Cadden’s dangerous free-kick.

Bailey could have pulled one back for Rovers shortly before the hour mark, but with the ball just behind him, he can’t turn Richardson’s deflected effort home.

Two more chances followed in quick succession as Collins saw his cut-back narrowly evade everyone in the middle, before Cadden was again denied from range by an acrobatic save.

Rovers’ pressure soon took its toll on the Tranmere backline, and substitute Whitehouse pulled one back.

Cadden whipped a delicious cross into the area, and the midfield turned home with 65 minutes on the clock, just four minutes after entering the fray.

With Rovers still looking dangerous, it was a quick break from the hosts that gave the game its fourth goal.

With 76 minutes on the clock, Feeney, who had provided the assist for the opener drilled home from the edge of the box after Cargill’s clearance.

A late surge from Cooper’s side very nearly salvaged a point, as Wagstaff headed home a Cadden cross in stoppage time, before a drilled ball from the Scotsman almost handed him a hattrick of assists. None of the three FGR players in the area could stretch to turn home the equaliser.

Wagstaff then headed the final chance of the evening wide, almost a carbon copy of his goal three minutes earlier.