Forest Hit By Wolves Sucker Punch

Before this game, Forest fans hoped and prayed for a performance that showed we did have the passion and desire to survive in the Championship. Despite a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the League leaders, we will at least have gone home happy in the knowledge that we did achieve that.

To say Wolves were lucky to get all three points may be viewed as harsh by some, but Forest did enough in this one, to worry the visitors for large parts of the game. We matched them in all departments, but in the end were undone by a sucker punch and punished for yet more slack marking and a momentary lapse in concentration.

The first half was a tense and cagey affair, with neither side having any clear cut chances. When Wolves did look menacing in attack, they were short of ideas when it came to the final ball. Some good last ditch defending from the lads, got us out of trouble though on more than one occasion. Anderson picked up a needless booking for lobbing the ball over the keeper and into the net, despite being given offside moments earlier. The winger showed some neat control and good execution in finding the net, but it was still a stupid booking to pick up.

It was all square at the break and Forest came out for the second half all guns blazing. Cohen was brought down on the edge of the box, when it looked like he was clean through on goal. Berra only picked up a booking for his efforts and the resultant freekick from McGugan, although ideally positioned, was sent tamely into the defensive wall set up by the visitors.

Forest were having a decent spell, when Davies made a very bold and very positive move in bringing on Tyson and McCleary. The pace of the two subs at first seemed to unsettle Wolves, but it wasn’t long before they were to claw their way back into the game. With 15 minutes to go and the game evenly poised, Forest were hit with a familiar sucker punch that has so often been our undoing this season. Ebanks-Blake left the otherwise impressive Morgan for dead and sent a dangerous looking ball into the box. The ball found an unmarked Michael Kightly, who had the simplest of tap ins to give the visitors and their five thousand supporters the points. It was a cruel blow for the Reds’ and one they didn’t deserve.

The defeat leaves us firmly entrenched in the relegation zone, but not without hope. Plymouth are in freefall and sit just two points above us. Norwich sit one place above them, on the same points and it’s these two that we now have to beat off. There’s six games to go and it’s all still to play for. Just hang on to your seats lads, it’s going to be nervy finish to the season.