SAIDY SITTING PRETTY WITH UGLY FOREST
Blades goal hero gives son perfect present
N FOREST
Grabban 86 pen
ROTHERHAM 1 0
NOTTINGHAM FOREST are prepared to win ugly in order to flourish in the Championship.
A win over Rotherham meant Swiss right-back Saidy Janko has won both matches since arriving at the City Ground from Porto on a season-long loan.
But the 22-year-old is under no illusions about how difficult life can be in the Championship.
He said: “It was a very tough game, but we did well and stayed patient because they sat deep. Rotherham closed us down quickly and were difficult to break down.
“It’s not always pretty, but we still tried to play football and do our stuff. I knew the Championship and I knew what I was getting into. For me, and for many people, it is the best second division in the world.
“It is good football, high tempo and very physical, but our squad is ready and we showed that. The quality is great and we have to aim for a play-off spot. We are going in the right direction.”
Forest finally broke Rotherham’s resistance through an 86th-minute penalty from Lewis Grabban (above, right).
It was heart-breaking for the Millers who had seen Richie Towell denied by a brilliant Costel Pantilimon save moments earlier.
Rotherham have now lost all five of their away games this season. And right-back Billy Jones said: “This is a relentless league and you get punished if you take your eye off the ball for a second.” CHRIS BASHAM does not score very often – but he made sure he delivered a birthday goal for his little boy.
The 30-year-old
Blades defender told young Luke he’d try to get a goal for his fourth birthday, and that’s just what he did.
The icing on the cake was that it helped boss Chris
Wilder celebrate his own birthday too, as he chalked up his 51st with United in fourth spot.
Basham’s strike – a welldirected glancing header into a top corner – was quite a rarity too. It was only his ninth in 179 games for United, but it put them in the driving seat, coming on top of Billy Sharp’s fifth of the season. But Preston fought back with two in two minutes. Callum Robinson (below) hit a left-footed first-timer, from a set-up by Darnell Fisher, followed by sub Daniel Johnson beating keeper Dean Henderson with a deflected effort, which gave the on-loan Manchester United man no chance.
Cue free-signing David Mcgoldrick to shock North End with his late winner that left the Blades riding high – and Preston rock bottom.
Basham (above) admitted: “At two up, we felt comfortable. Then we conceded those two in two minutes. But the great thing is we showed character and won through in the end.
“It’s a lesson learned for us. You just can’t switch off. Preston are fighting for their lives down at the bottom, and it showed.
“My goal? Well, we had worked on a few things in training and I came forward for a free-kick. Oliver Norwood delivered it perfectly for me to head home. I told my son I’d do it for his birthday, if possible. Now, we can watch it on TV together – a dad’s birthday present for his little boy.”
Wilder praised Basham for his goal and overall play, saying: “He’s a popular player with the fans and with us in the dressing room. He’s never a problem. He just gets on with his job. We’re fortunate to have him.”
Preston defender Tom Clarke admitted: “It’s a very disappointed dressing room. Our fightback and two goals in two minutes showed how much we wanted it. Then we get done by that sucker punch.”
North End boss Alex Neil said: “We scored two goals, so there is definitely a threat there, but we’ve got to stop conceding as many goals as we are.”