It Just Gets Better & Better. WBA 1-3 Forest

Forest turned in an awesome display last night against one of the promotion favourites West Brom and thumped them 3-1 in their own back yard and infront of an admiring TV audience live on Sky. It was a performance that will have sent out a message to every team in the Championship, that Nottingham Forest are back and that this time we mean business.

Billy Davies made 3 changes to the side that drew with Brum the previous week, with Guy Moussi making a welcome return to the starting line up. Nicky Shorey also returned, as did Kelvin Wilson, at the heart of defence. The Reds’ were dealt a blow during the warm up, as Robbie Earnshaw was withdrawn from the bench suffering a hamstring injury.

Both sides started brightly, but Forest soon showed their pace in attack, with Gunter and young Maj wreaking havoc down the right side early on. Majewski showed his intent, with a shot from outside the box that went well over the bar. It was a wasted effort, but it showed that the lads were going for it and that despite having only Blackstock up front, we were going to attack.

Anderson won us a corner and it was well delivered by the ever impressive Shorey. The ball into the box was met by Blackstock, who slid the ball passed Carson, to give us the lead. From that moment on, the home side didn’t get a look in for the remainder of the half. Forest were content to let the Baggies have the ball, but when they had it, McKenna and Moussi would just take it off them. The odd stray pass aside, Forest were playing with a swagger and an arrogance that was very pleasing on the eye. West Brom were being out fought and out muscled. They just couldn’t stop the Reds’ from getting at them.

Scott Carson had to look lively and did well to beat Morgan in the air, when Majewski sent over a good free kick. He had to punch away a ball that Morgan was looking first to get to. Once again Forest showed great pace in attack and after another defensive break, a great move was ended with Majewski shooting wide.

Forest took a deserved 1-0 lead into the break and dared to dream of taking over 2nd spot in the table. The first half saw some vintage football from the lads, so much so, that the home side were booed off at the whistle. West Brom turned out to be much improved in the second half, but they would still be no match for the marauding Reds’.

The second half started much the same as the first, with the Reds’ breaking with pace and dictating the play. Anderson was causing problems on the wing and with Shorey as a partner, they were giving the home side nightmares.

The second goal of the night, was a contender for goal of the season. Another great run from Chris Gunter, ended with him crossing a delicious ball into the box. Majewski met it at the far post and just hit it full on the volley and flying past the on looking Carson. No keeper would have stopped that. It was a bullet.

Forest were flying and they weren’t finished yet. It was about the time of our second goal, that the home side woke up. They were in for a pasting, unless they came into the game. They did just that and with the skill of the impressive Dorrans, began to ask a few questions of their own. The game opened up and was becoming a real spectacle, only for us to go and get another. Some beautiful build up play by the Reds’, saw us pinging the ball around at will. Gunter and Anderson combined well to hit the Baggies on the break, with Gunter crossing to Moussi. He then fed a delightful throughball into the path of Cohen, who hit the sweetest of shots past Carson.

It was looking like Forest were unstoppable, when the home side stepped it up a gear. Bednar came on as a sub and got them a goal back. That gave them the lift they needed and showed the game wasn’t quite won yet. Miller was introduced as a sub by the Baggies and he could have got a goal, but for the heroics of Camp in the Forest goal. A long rage effort from the striker, saw Camp acrobatically tip the ball over for a corner.

Despite something of a second half onslaught by the homeside, Forest were more than good value for the win. It takes the unbeaten run to 18, but more importantly, up to 2nd in the table. This is really happening folks. Sit back, relax and enjoy.