FOREST Green Rovers surrendered a first-half lead as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat at fellow strugglers Accrington Stanley.
Duncan Ferguson is still looking for his first league win as Rovers boss after seven games in charge as they remain rooted to the foot of the League One table.
They had led but after they went down to 10 men just before the break, their afternoon unraveled and the gap between them and safety now stretches to 11 points with 11 games remaining.
Forest Green started well and Stanley keeper Lukas Jensen pulled off two superb saves to keep out Corey O’Keeffe and Myles Peart-Harris before they took the lead on 22 minutes.
From a counter-attack, O’Keeffe charged forward, he passed to Brentford loan midfielder Peart-Harris who slid the ball under the body of Jensen for his sixth goal of the season.
Forest Green were down to 10 men on 43 minutes when Oliver Casey saw red for a high challenge on Nathan Butler-Oyedeji. From the resulting Sean McConville free-kick, Brentford loan striker Aaron Pressley headed home on 44 minutes.
Stanley made their man advantage count on 64 minutes when Rosaire Longelo got the ball to the right of the area and fired low into the far corner of the net.
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