REDS GRABB PRECIOUS WIN
A NIGHTMARE return from Coventry City’s Michael Rose worked in Nottingham Forest’s favour as they ended a run of three games without a win with three precious Championship points at St Andrew’s.
Rose, who came off the bench following a three-month injury lay-off, turned Cyrus Christie’s cross into his own net as the Reds came from 1-0 down to clinch the three points.
Max Biamou’s smart finish put the Sky Blues a goal up after 17 minutes but Forest captain Lewis Grabban equalised five minutes later.
The game was marred in added time by a serious injury to City striker Amadou Bakayoko.
It was a quiet opening, with Gustavo Hamer’s long-range effort the only attempt on goal, but the first half came to life in an entertaining five-minute spell that saw both sides strike.
Coventry went ahead when Callum O’hare broke forward at pace. Forest felt there was a foul in the build-up prior to the midfielder receiving the ball.
But O’hare continued to feed a pass to Biamou who, left one on one with Christie, dropped the shoulder, before curling a terrific effort into the bottom corner with pace and accuracy.
It was an excellent finish, but the Reds showed their powers of recovery to find an equaliser as Sammy Ameobi pulled the ball back from the bye-line for Grabban to smash in from 12 yards.
From then on, Forest had the better chances, with set-pieces proving a real problem for the Sky Blues as Fillip Krovinvovic and Anthony
Knockaert’s deliveries put the ball into real danger areas.
It almost brought reward when James Garner, making his debut following his arrival on loan from Manchester United, met a corner at the near post but his glancing header fizzed just over.
Knockaert then showed wonderful skill to skip past Sam Mccallum, but drilled low and hard past the near post.
Coventry burst out of the blocks in the second half as Mccallum saw a shot blocked and Hamer forced Brice Samba into a smart save.
But it was Forest who struck next, in the 53rd minute. The goal they had been threatening finally arrived when Christie escaped down the right and delivered a superb cross which hit Rose and went into the net.
Coventry fought back strongly in a bid to claim an equaliser and it required a goalline clearance from Grabban to keep them ahead when he blocked Leo Ostigard’s header off the line.
But, in stoppage time, there was a hold-up of around eight minutes as substitute Bakayoko needed carrying off the pitch on a stretcher after being clattered accidentally in a challenge with Samba.
Once play resumed, Forest saw out the remaining time to seal a 2-1 win that took them up to 19th in the Championship table, four points above the bottom three.