Sam tames leaky Lions
SAMMY AMEOBI hit a brilliant brace to allow his Forest manager Chris Hughton to relax at last.
The experienced winger dazzled for a double, and Ryan Yates added another, as Forest finally showed their class in attack.
It is now three straight wins, seven unbeaten and six points above the drop zone for Forest.
And it meant Hughton was in the unusual position of having fingernails left at the finish – although Ben Thompson did pull one back for below-par Millwall.
The Forest chief said: “It’s the first time we’ve scored three goals in a game this season. And this performance warranted it.
“To go into the last bit of the game with comfort and relief was nice as we’ve not been able to do that before.
“Sammy has got that in his locker, I’m really pleased for him. We made a request to the offensive players to make the difference.
“In our performances we have not been too far off in most games – but the difference is the moments.
“It’s nice to go into a happy changing room. We were good today and I hope we can take this forward and take more some opportunities and score some more goals.”
Millwall played like a side with just one win in 15 games and Forest deservedly led when Ameobi’s 34th-minute shot from the edge of the area deflected home.
The visitors did come close to an equaliser as Shaun Hutchinson’s header from a Jed Wallace corner was kept out by Lewis Grabban on the line.
However they lacked ideas up front with Kenneth Zohore disappointing on the final game of his loan from West Brom – although Millwall do want to extend. Forest sealed the points when Ameobi’s superb shot after a one-two with Alex Mighten left Bartosz Bialkowski with no chance.
And a third arrived as Yates buried from Cafu’s 83rd-minute corner.
Millwall pulled one back a minute from time as sub Thompson finished well after Brice Samba complained he had been fouled following Scott Malone’s corner.
But Lions boss Gary Rowett was seething. He said: “The performance was not acceptable for us as a group or club. We need to start putting in performances.
“We have to start getting serious about it, we have to go and earn the right to win and fight for the cause.”
NOTT’M FOREST: Samba 6; Christie 7, Worrall 7, Mckenna 7, Ribeiro 6; Yates 8, Sow 6 (Taylor 72, 6); Ameobi 8, Cafu 7, Mighten 7 (Bong 82, 6); Grabban 6. Unused Subs: Smith, Figueiredo, Mbe Soh, Jenkinson, Guerrero, Lolley, Knockaert, Lolley. MILLWALL: Bialkowski 6; Hutchinson 5, Pearce 5 (Bennett 64, 6), Cooper 5; Mcnamara 5, Leonard 6, Woods 6 (Thompson 78), Malone 5; J Wallace 5 (Bodvarsson 79), Zohore 4 (Smith 64, 6), Parrott 5 (Bradshaw 78). Fielding, Williams, Ferguson, Romeo. MAN OF THE MATCH: Sammy Ameobi. Two-goal hero for Forest which included a superb second. REFEREE: Keith Stroud 6.