Forest Green Rovers 1 Carlisle United 1: Nathan Thomas scored his first Carlisle United goal but the Blues had to settle for a point despite a much-improved display at Forest Green.

Thomas struck early in the second half to cancel out Reece Brown's opener.

Both sides also hit the woodwork but Carlisle could easily have added more goals from an impressive first half showing.

Instead they remain a point outside the play-offs, in ninth place, having now won once in eight games.

Recalled Thomas had failed to take three good first-half chances but made no mistake with a clinical 49th-minute finish after an error from defender Nathan McGinley.

That came after Brown's goal against the run of play, as he broke clean through after a passing move down the right for Forest Green and fired superbly into the top corner on 31 minutes.

United had made much of the early running at the New Lawn and could twice have scored in the space of two minutes midway through the first 45 minutes.

Thomas headed against the crossbar after Hallam Hope had headed a Danny Grainger corner back across goal.

Shortly afterwards, Thomas received a high pass from recalled midfielder Mike Jones and went clean through, but impressive home keeper Lewis Ward saved.

Earlier, Callum O'Hare pulled an attempt wide and Jones saw a long-distance strike deflected past the post.

The hosts wasted a decent chance when Udoka Godwin-Malife shot over after a corner but United remained on top - before being hit by Forest Green's goalscoring counter-attack through Brown.

Regan Slater had a shot parried by Ward as Carlisle tried to fight back after conceding.

Thomas then had yet another big chance as O'Hare intercepted Gavin Gunning and fed the Sheffield United loanee on the break, but Ward saved at his feet.

The half ended with a further Blues attempt, this time a 25-yarder from Devitt which flew just over the bar.

After Thomas levelled for United, Jones and Thomas then tested Ward again, Carl Winchester failing with a half-chance for Mark Cooper's side.

A Tom Parkes volley almost ricocheted in Carlisle's favour after a corner, and while the home side enjoyed more of the ball for a spell in the second half, they struggled to create.

They did go close in the dying minutes when a free-kick from sub George Williams hit the left-hand post.

United, though, could also have snatched it at the death when Ward saved an O'Hare shot and Hope couldn't force the rebound in.

Jones came into midfield for his first start since December with Kelvin Etuhu absent after his partner gave birth to their baby son last night.

Boss Steven Pressley made two further changes, with Gary Liddle dropped and Gary Miller recalled at right-back, and Thomas coming in for Stefan Scougall.

United's bench included 16-year-old defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who recently signed a professional deal, for the first time.

Forest Green: Ward, Shephard, Rawson, Mills, Gunning, McGinley, Winchester, Godwin-Malife (Mondal 88), Brown, Reid (Williams 69), Doidge. Not used: L Thomas, James, Grubb, Pearce, McCoulsky. 

United: Collin, Miller, Grainger, Parkes, Gerrard, Jones, Slater, O'Hare, N Thomas, Devitt (Scougall 81), Hope (Simpson 90). Not used: Gray, Liddle, Kennedy, Grant, Branthwaite.