ROCK HILL, S.C. – Freshman Wes Forst picked a great time for his first career goal.
 
Finishing off a lofted free kick from Markus Gronli with a header into the left corner of the net, Forst punched in the game-winning goal with just 1:03 remaining to lift Longwood (2-5-1, 1-4-1 Big South) to a 2-1 Big South road win over Winthrop Monday afternoon at Terry Field.

"It certainly feels good to get the win and for all the hard work these boys have done over the season," said Longwood head coach Jon Atkinson. "They thoroughly deserved it. While it may not go down as a classic, we did enough on the day, albeit with a wee scare at the end."
 
Forst entered the game in the 71st minute and 18 minutes later found himself in the right spot on an end-game set piece. Gronli, the big-booted All-Big South midfielder, dropped a dime from 40 yards out right into the middle of a scrum where Forst emerged from the crowd and redirected the kick past Winthrop goalkeeper Dean Depinto.
 
That strike capped a wild final few minutes in which Winthrop (0-7, 0-6 Big South) overcame a 1-0 Lancer lead with an 88th-minute equalizer by Grayson Woodard. That goal broke an 87-minute scoreless streak by the Lancer defense, which to that point had limited the Eagles to just two shots on goal. However, Woodard connected with teammates Bryant Jimenez-Pearce and Taeyoon Oh to break through and negate Lancer forward Tosin Ayokunle's go-ahead goal from the first half.

"I would have liked us to control the game a bit better, and a second goal would have broken the game open I feel," Atkinson added. "Getting that assurance goal would breed a confidence that elevates your game, without it you are playing with more stress than needed. The last five minutes was a bit hectic, but to come back that late after being in the lead for so long takes character, which I'm pleased we have. We have a bunch of committed lads who look out for one another."
 
Woodard's goal stripped Longwood of its lead for all of 1:57, however, as a foul by Oh 15 yards outside Longwood's box set up Gronli for a free kick. Gronli used that opportunity to send a well-placed chip into the box where Forst created an opening, boxed out his defender and headed in the game-winner.

Ayokunle gave Longwood the lead after a first half that saw the Lancers control the game, outshooting Winthrop 7-4 in the opening 45 minutes. In the 33rd minute, the Lancers surged forward and peppered the ball around the frame, and Ayokunle polished off a bouncing ball for his first collegiate goal and a 1-0 lead.

The win sends the Lancers into their final stretch of the regular season, which will pit them against first-place High Point this Saturday, April 3,  at 7 p.m. before the season finale at home against Radford on Thursday, April 8.
 
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