Forest Show They Can Win Ugly

This was a 3rd successive City Ground win for Nottingham Forest and one that stretches the unbeaten home run in the league, to a very impressive 27 games. It was at times a fine example of what this Forest squad can deliver by way of entertainment and at others an example of hit and hope football at it`s worst.

The game started brightly from a Forest perspective, with the Reds` at their tippy tappy best. With barely a few minutes on the clock, the lads could have been 2 up. Earnie went close when a decent save from Westwood put paid to his chance on goal and a poorly aimed lob from Tyson went hopelessly over the bar. All good stuff and there was more to come, with shots flying in from all angles, from Moussi, McGugan and then Cohen, all going close.

Things were going well for the first 20 minutes or so and then Forest for some reason appeared to lose all confidence and belief. From having very little to offer the game, the Sky Blues took the lead. A well driven free kick into the Forest box from former Tricky Sammy Clingan, managed to avoid every Reds` defender in it`s path, except for Luke Chambers who could only head into his own goal. Lee camp went absolutely ballistic and let the Red shirts in front of him know in no uncertain terms that he expected better.

Fortunately for us, the lead only lasted 6 minutes and the Reds` equaliser was spectacular. Cohen laid the ball on for Majewski, who hit a bullet of a shot from 25 yards out, passed the on looking Westwood and into the top corner of the net. The goal did little to raise the spirits, with the defence once again at sixes and sevens, when another Clingan free kick forced another fine save from Camp. Forest were going to have to improve in the 2nd half, if they wanted the home run to remain intact. 1-1 was the score at the break and probably fair given the chances both sides had.

City carried on where they left off in the 1st, looking dangerous from set pieces. Forest looked to have learned nothing, when yet another Clingan free kick put the defence under pressure. Midway through the half and Forest began to rally. A little bit of good fortune played a part in the Reds` taking the lead, when Chris Cohen`s well struck free kick evaded every player on the pitch, including the hapless Westwood and landed in the City net.

With the visitors now behind, they lay siege on the Forest goal. Your heart was in your mouth every time the ball came into the area, but some fine keeping from Camp kept the scores the same. Former Forest player cum jailbird Marlon King could have levelled things in the latter stages, but was thwarted by Camp on no less than 3 occasions. The best effort of the night for City came in added time, when King sent a thunderous shot goalwards, only to see it acrobatically punched away by the keeper.

If manager Billy Davies wanted to see his side win ugly, then he was certainly granted his wish in this game. It wasn`t all bad though and the lads will gladly and deservedly take the 3 points. The home run remains intact, but it will get it`s sternest test of the season to date, when table toppers QPR roll into town on Saturday.

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