Forest Green Rovers 4 Lewes 1: Andy Mangan is aiming to finish the season as the Blue Square Premier's leading marksman after his hat-trick saw off relegated Lewes at the New Lawn, writes Mark Halliwell.

Mangan converted a penalty on the half-hour, then added two tap-ins after the break as Rovers inched closer to safety against a game Lewes side.

"It's my second hat-trick and I'm on 23 for the season now," he said.

"I could have scored a few more, and probably should have had six, but the goalkeeper played well and made some good saves.

"I just love scoring goals and want to get some more – it would be great to finish as the top scorer in the league."

The Rooks, without a win in 21 games, fielded 10 teenagers in their 16 and had three debutants, but finished with nine men after skipper Anthony Barness and winger Steffan Cox saw red.

But they silenced the New Lawn after five minutes when Joe Keehan fired a low shot past Terry Burton to give them an unlikely lead.

That was the signal for Rovers to launch a relentless assault on the Lewes goal, and but for the heroics of keeper Rikki Banks, they could have racked up double figures.

Banks tipped a shot from David Brown round a post, then Kaid Mohamed mis-kicked from six yards and Lee Ayres had a point-blank header tipped over.

An offside flag chalked off Brown's acrobatic 25th-minute effort, and it was inevitable that an equaliser would come.

It did, on the half-hour, when Mangan burst through and was felled by Barness' sliding challenge. The assistant referee signalled for a penalty, but Barness can justifiably feel that his red card was harsh.

Mangan blasted the penalty past Banks – and within four minutes, Rovers led, as Conal Platt's corner evaded everyone, apart from Ayres, who ran in to head home at the far post.

The second half was one-way traffic, as Lee Fowler fired over, then Brown had another effort chalked off for offside, with Banks saving from him and Alex Lawless.

The third goal finally came after 64 minutes as Platt beat three men on the left and cut back for Brown, whose shot was saved by Banks, only for the lurking Mangan to tap in from a yard.

Lewes went down to nine with 14 minutes left as Cox, booked in the first half, was shown a straight red for a kick at Ayres, and Rovers sealed the win with six minutes left.

A corner was played out to Paul Lloyd, and his shot was diverted by Mangan, and Banks was unable to keep it out.