National League round-up: Rochdale return to the top as Forest Green Rovers win thriller

Three fixtures took place on Tuesday night in the National League with huge results impacting both the top and bottom of the table.

Forest Green played a thriller at home to Woking as they looked to close the gap at the top, with Rochdale themselves pushing themselves back to the summit.

Struggling Morecambe welcomed back Jim Bentley to the dugout for their trip to Altrincham where they failed to cut a large chunk into the gap between themselves and safety.

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Forest Green Rovers 4-2 Woking

Forest Green came from behind twice to beat Woking 4-2 and stretch their unbeaten home run in the Enterprise National League to nine matches.

Olly Sanderson fired Woking into a 10th-minute lead with a well-taken finish, but Rovers drew level when Gabe Kircough headed in a free-kick from Jayden Clarke.

Joe Gbode put Woking back in front barely a minute later, but Nick Haughton levelled for Rovers just after half-time.

A stunning volley from Ricardo Rees put the hosts ahead for the first time and Tom Knowles wrapped up the win 13 minutes from time.

Forest Green sit fourth, nine points off top and having played three games more; Woking sit 11th, seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Rochdale 4-1 Boreham Wood

Rochdale returned to the top of the Enterprise National League with a 4-1 victory over Boreham Wood.

Devante Rodney headed in Tobi Adebayo-Rowling’s cross to give Dale a sixth-minute lead, the striker’s first goal since the start of November.

Emmanuel Dieseruvwe was superbly denied by Nathan Ashmore in the visitors’ goal before rewarding Ryan East’s excellent delivery after 29 minutes.

Dieseruvwe then pounced on a loose backpass to grab his 14th goal of the season five minutes after the restart.

Zak Brunt gave fifth-placed Boreham Wood hope from the penalty spot, but substitute Ian Henderson restored Rochdale’s three-goal cushion as they went two points clear of York at the summit.

Emmanuel Dieseruvwe scored twice as Rochdale beat Boreham Wood 4-1 to go top of the National League
(Bradley Collyer/PA)

Altrincham 1-1 Morecambe

Ollie Crankshaw salvaged a 1-1 draw for Altrincham at home to lowly Morecambe in the National League.

The visitors almost took a first-half lead when Chris Popov saw his header saved by Luke Hutchinson and from the corner Harlee Dean headed into the side-netting.

Morecambe’s Jack Nolan had put a free-kick inches wide of the post early on, but his second effort three minutes after half-time curled over the wall and into the net.

Alty equalised when Jimmy Knowles found Crankshaw, who beat his marker before firing home.

Morecambe remain 22nd, six points adrift from safety, Altrincham move to 16th, three points clear of the drop zone.

READ MORE: Jim Bentley returns as Morecambe boss to lead National League survival bid