Proud Scarborough boss Jonathan Greening hailed his players’ fortitude after they pushed EFL outfit Forest Green all the way again in a third meeting of the teams in this season’s FA Cup.

The first-round tie was ordered to be replayed after Forest Green had been found guilty of failing to inform the FA they had received permission to play a loan player against the National League North outfit.

Scarborough were only denied victory in the original tie by a stoppage-time equaliser, before going down 5-2 at Forest Green in the replay.

But this latest contest – a one-off rematch in North Yorkshire – saw Scarborough take an early lead and later reduce the deficit to 3-2 courtesy of a Luca Colville effort before sub Matty Stevens wrapped up a 4-2 triumph.

Greening said: “They came up here the day before and stayed in a hotel, whereas our players were up at 7am for work this morning and only got here an hour before kick-off, so that’s the difference in preparation for the game.

“But I thought the lads put in another really strong performance. We deservedly took the lead and we hit the post and could have had a penalty before we had them rocking at 3-2.

“Unfortunately, one mistake meant we ended up losing 4-2. Over the course of the three games, though, we have played five really good halves of football against a strong League Two team. There was only the first half at their place when we were 3-1 down that needed to be better.”

Forest Green boss David Horseman was pleased with his team’s clinical display, having failed to net in five of their previous six games, discounting the two expunged cup contests.

“It’s no secret that we need to score more goals, so I’m delighted to get four,” he declared.

“It helped having Matty Stevens back off the bench and Callum Morton on the pitch. We know they will score goals, but they’ve just not been available to us.

“I don’t actually think we created lots of chances tonight and Scarborough have given us three really tough games, but we were clinical which is what we’ve been missing for most of the season.”

Forest Green finally saw off National League North part-timers Scarborough 4-2 in the FA Cup.

Tyrese Omotoye, Callum Morton, Sean Robertson and Matty Stevens scored the goals as the first-round tie was settled following a third contest between the two clubs.

Forest Green, who also won a home replay 5-2 last month, were found guilty of failing to inform the FA that they had permission to include a loan player in their squad.

Blackpool now await in the second round next Tuesday but Scarborough were no pushovers, taking an early lead and then reducing the deficit to 3-2 late on with a Luca Colville effort.

Scarborough took the lead just before the half-hour mark when an unchallenged Ryan Qualter’s far-post header from Finlay Barnes’ right-wing free-kick was parried away by Forest Green keeper James Belshaw only to bounce back over the line off unfortunate centre-back Darnell Johnson.

But the visitors, without a first-half away goal since March 4 prior to this contest, were level five minutes later when exposed Scarborough keeper Ryan Whitley could not prevent Morton’s downward header from Jamie Robson’s left-wing centre squeezing under his body. Omotoye claimed the goal with a final touch as the ball crossed the line.

After the break, Barnes broke clear on the away goal but was denied by Belshaw before Morton drilled in a 12-yard shot with Robson again providing the assist from the left flank.

The spirited Seadogs refused to surrender, with Lewis Maloney’s free-kick clipping an upright.

Robertson looked to have settled matters on 84 minutes when he finished confidently after charging clear on goal but Colville gave Scarborough renewed hope of an upset when he prodded in from eight yards following a Maloney cross.

Stevens, though, eventually wrapped up victory, tapping into an empty net on 89 minutes following Teddy Jenks’ square pass.

Forest Green boss David Horseman praised his side’s fast start as they avoided an FA Cup embarrassment by beating Scarborough 5-2 in their first round replay.

League Two strugglers Rovers took an emphatic 4-0 lead after 35 minutes thanks to goals from Teddy Jenks, Kyle McAllister, Jamie Robson and Harvey Bunker.

Alex Wiles pulled one back for the National League North visitors but Tyrese Omotoye added a fifth before a late consolation from Michael Coulson as the hosts set up a second-round trip to Blackpool.

Horseman said: “It is important that we started well.

“In these cup ties you have to try and impose yourself on it, especially as a higher-league team against a lower-league team.

“And the boys, like I said, they were up for it.”

Horseman was impressed by the visitors, who had been minutes away from winning the tie in the first meeting.

“I thought Scarborough were absolutely excellent and ran us all the way and kept pushing,” the Rovers boss added.

“I thought the players had to show a really professional attitude to get it done and some moments of real Football League quality.

“It is a shame that it was not (more goals), if I am being really honest. Luckily enough we got through at the moment as far as we know with no more injuries.”

Scarborough boss Jonathan Greening, the former Manchester United and West Brom midfielder, was disappointed his side’s slow start ended their cup hopes.

“I am disappointed we have not gone through, but also very proud of the players,” he said.

“We gave them a good game over the two ties.

“What killed us tonight was we did not start the game very well for 20 to 30 minutes.

“We knew it was going to be difficult, but we are all disappointed with the first 20 to 30 minutes.”

Forest Green secured their place in the second round of the FA Cup with a 5-2 victory over National League North side Scarborough.

Goals from Teddy Jenks, Kyle McAllister, Jamie Robson, Harvey Bunker and Tyrese Omotoye completed the win for the League Two strugglers.

The hosts took the lead in the fifth minute after a cross from Fankaty Dabo found its way to Jenks and his deflected effort went past Ryan Whitley in the Scarborough goal.

Troy Deeney won a penalty in the 18th minute which was converted into the top-right corner by McAllister.

Rovers went 3-0 ahead in the 30th minute when Robson tapped into an empty net.

It was 4-0 after 34 minutes as Bunker found the back of the net from a corner routine.

Scarborough got a goal back in the 41st minute through an effort from Alex Wiles that was out of reach for home goalkeeper James Belshaw.

Omotoye added a fifth in the 76th minute with a left-footed shot into the bottom corner before Michael Coulson grabbed a late consolation for the visitors.

Scarborough boss Jonathan Greening was left to reflect on football’s ‘cruel’ side after his part-time team were denied an FA Cup upset against Forest Green in stoppage time.

An equaliser by Olly Sully – the 18-year-old sub’s first senior goal – secured a 1-1 draw for the League Two strugglers after the National League North outfit had taken a first-half lead through Alex Wiles.

It also cost the Seadogs a precious £41,000 windfall in prize money and Greening, a member of the Manchester United squad that won the 1999 Champions League final in stoppage time, lamented: “I really wish we could have held on and won the game.

“But it wasn’t to be and, sometimes, football can be cruel. The boys are absolutely devastated because they put an absolute shift in and I’m really proud of them.

“We’re a part-time team and might not have a lot of money as a club but we showed that we’ve got a lot of heart and we’ve just got to show the same work ethic, team spirit and passion now in the replay.”

Forest Green boss David Horseman threw on Sully in an attempt to lift a lacklustre and unimaginative performance from his team and was delighted to see the teenager get on the scoresheet.

He said: “We were really poor. We gave a bad goal away and then had to break down an 11-man block, which we found difficult.

“But we did it in the end because some people stood up to the challenge of a difficult game and I’m really proud of Olly.

“It was brilliant to see somebody from our academy keep us in the FA Cup and help us live to fight another day.”