GRIFFITHS GETS BACK ON TARGET
Joe’s got Luton licked as he hits a double to keep Forest flying
Ref: Tony Harrington Att: 27,081
Lolley Cornick Grabban
JOE LOLLEY took Luton apart and put Nottingham Forest in position to gatecrash the Championship’s top two.
Lolley had help from a howler by keeper Simon Sluga for his first goal, but his second was a cracker.
Poor Luton. Despite taking the lead, they could not cope with Lolley and a 10th successive away league defeat leaves them bottom.
Forest are making big progress at the other end of the table – they have collected 13 points out of 15 since Boxing Day.
If they follow-up this by beating Reading on Wednesday night they will be two points behind secondplaced Leeds.
Forest are at home to Leeds, then visit league leaders West Brom next month and Lolley said: “Six or seven games ago the whole division was thinking, ‘Is anyone going to catch the top two?’
“Now there’s four or five teams thinking, ‘Why not, why not us?’
“Leeds and West Brom will be massive games. The tighter it becomes, the bigger the games will become. It is exciting.”
Maybe it was the impending arrival of French winger Adama Diakhaby from Huddersfield that focused Lolley’s mind but he ruined Luton’s afternoon.
The Hatters’ last away win was in September but they got a reminder of what it was like when Harry Cornick gave them a 23rd-minute lead.
The goal came from an excellent move by the visitors. Kazenga
LuaLua sent Dan Potts behind the defence and when Potts pulled the ball back from the byline, Cornick stabbed in.
Potts was in trouble for most of the game up against Lolley and what you do not need when you are suffering is your goalkeeper throwing one in.
But when Lolley had a shot in the 36th minute, Sluga somehow allowed the ball to squirm away from him and into the net.
The Croatian keeper was a mere spectator for Lolley’s second.
Ben Watson put over a tremendous ball from the right and Lolley twisted to thump home a fierce effort.
“The last time Forest where in the play-offs was a long time ago,” said cautious City Ground boss Sabri Lamouchi, looking back nine years.
“So I’m not so crazy to imagine this when it’s not been possible in the past.
“Some people want to believe. But my job is to focus on the next game on Wednesday.”
Lewis Grabban, with a lastminute penalty following a Sonny Bradley handball, finished off the visitors.
Luton have just one point from their last eight outings but boss Graeme Jones said: “We have 18 games left and I really believe we can get out of it.
“Seven weeks ago we were a competitive Championship team and we can be again when we get everyone fit. We’re still in the mix, we have not been cut adrift, but it’s down to us.”
MOTM
JOE LOLLEY (NOTTINGHAM FOREST)
LEIGH GRIFFITHS insists he is not finished at Celtic – and is targeting a Scotland return in March.
The striker (above) ended his five-month goal-drought with the opener in Celtic’s 2-1 Scottish Cup fourth round defeat of Partick Thistle on Saturday.
The win booked a last-16 tie next month at Clyde and Griffiths said: “The more chances I get to play, the fitter I’ll become. Game time will be helpful because I want to be back in the Scotland fold come March.
“Physically and mentally this is as good as I’ve felt in a long time.”
Callum McGregor (below) added Celtic’s second before Griffiths was replaced by new signing Patryck Klimala (below).
Griffiths added: “Patryk coming in didn’t give me an edge. We’re always going to be linked with players. It just adds extra competition for places.”
DUNDEE UNITED twice came from behind to secure a place in the fifth round draw after a 2-2 home draw with HIBERNIAN.
Lawrence Shankland equalised after Christian Doidge’s opener and Louis Appere levelled after Martin Boyle restored Hibs’ lead.
The winners will face minnows BSC GLASGOW and United manager Robbie Neilson said: “When you’re in the Championship, even if you’re doing really well there’s still that doubt ‘Can you do it against the top teams in the country?’ We showed that we can.”
Elsewhere, RANGERS will travel to HAMILTON.
Samba 6, Cash 6, Dawson 7, Worrall 7, Ribeiro 6, Watson 8, Sow 7, Lolley 9 (Yates 83), Silva 7 (Carvalho 90), Adomah 6 (Ameobi 67, 5), Grabban 6
Sluga 5, Bree 6, Pearson 6, Bradley 6, Potts 5, Rea 7 (Lee 72, 5), Cornick 6 (Moncur 49, 5), Mpanzu 6, Tunnicliffe 6, LuaLua 6, Collins 5