FA Cup second round: Forest Green 2-1 Alvechurch - Rovers hang on to knock out non-league side
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Forest Green 2-1 Alvechurch highlights
FA Cup first-round heroes Alvechurch's run came to a luckless end as they were narrowly beaten by League One bottom side Forest Green Rovers.
Church old boy Josh March won Rovers their first-half lead thanks to a disputed penalty kick, converted by Connor Wickham, and then scrambled in the second-half winner.
But the seventh-tier non-league side did score the best goal of the game.
Jed Abbey's 49th-minute free-kick was a goal worthy of gracing Wembley itself - but they could not find another way through.
The hosts had to play with 10 men for the final 18 minutes, plus stoppage time, after the dismissal of Dom Bernard for a second bookable offence.
But Church keeper Dan Jezeph was by far the busier of the two keepers, making a string of fine saves.
Forest Green went ahead for the first time on 24 minutes when March went down under a challenge from Aurio Teixeira to win a soft penalty.
Former multi-million pound Premier League striker Wickham's low spot-kick sent Jezeph the wrong way, for the Gloucestershire side's top scorer to claim his eighth goal of the season.
Just four minutes into the second half, the Church were then level, with that goal from Abbey.
Jed Abbey's early second-half free-kick got the Church back on level terms - but only for two minutes
The former Wolves junior curled a stunning right-foot free-kick from just outside the penalty area, looping up high and to the right of home keeper Luke McGee into the top-left corner.
But, within two minutes, the hosts were back in front when Harry Boyes' teasing left-wing cross caused confusion in the Church box - and March got in first to bundle the ball home.
Bernard then caused a few flutters in home stomachs when he was sent off on 72 minutes for tugging Church top scorer Danny Waldron's shirt.
But the hosts made sure that there would be no repeat of the upset suffered in the first round by their Gloucestershire neighbours Cheltenham Town - as they ended the Southern Premier Division Central strugglers' five-match Cup run.
Forest Green midfielder Corey O'Keeffe told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:
"It feels good to win and get our names in the hat for the next round. I just want to get as far as we can. I want any Premier League team in the third round. A good away game somewhere.
"They moved the ball and tried to stress us out a bit, but we felt comfortable. Alvechurch did well to get one back. The lad curled it into the top corner. He was pretty chuffed.
"The gaffer said to us at half-time that it was only 1-0 and 'anything could happen' and that the next goal was massive."
Alvechurch manager Ian Long told BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester:
"I'm proud of the run we've been on but I am a little disappointed with the performance we put in. Forest Green were the better side.
"We struggled at times and I'm disappointed with the way that we conceded the second goal after we'd got back on level terms. We switched off at the back and we've been done in.
"It was a shame because we'd just got a foothold in the game. If we could have just held on for a few minutes it could've given us a bit more energy and a little more polish on the ball. But we've let ourselves down."