GUST TOO MUCH, SAB Joe goal’s gone with the wind

A PUFF of wind was all it took to blow Forest’s promotion bid further off course.

It also marked a pleasing return to the City Ground for Mark Warburton.

The QPR boss did not last long at Forest, but then neither has anyone else in the last 10 years.

So it must have been enjoyable for him to watch his former charges endure a frustrating afternoon.

It might though have been a completely different game had a Joe Worrall header been allowed to stand in the first half.

Referee Robert Jones gave it at first, not spotting that the ball was moving in the breeze as Joe Lolley teed up the corner.

Jubilant Forest players headed back to the centre circle, only to see Jones’ assistant flag up the incident – and it was back to the drawing board instead.

Forest head coach Sabri

Lamouchi (below) admitted: “It was a fantastic goal, but rules are rules and the ball moved.

“I saw my players very down today. I told them I cannot complain. They tried for the victory and Joe Lolley came so close at the end.”

Forest have not won now in three matches and are six points adrift of Leeds United in second place.

More worrying though is that they seem unable to pick off teams at home – Charlton 10 days ago and now Rangers.

Next they will be tested with games at Cardiff and Middlesbrough.

Lamouchi added: “We controlled the game in difficult conditions and it is frustrating.

“We knew QPR would be tough but we played with a good rhythm and two more points change a lot.”

Forest could have won a match in which QPR goalkeeper Liam Kelly was asked all the serious questions, including dealing with a 25-yarder from Sammy Ameobi.

The swirling wind intervened again in the first half when Thiago Silva’s floated ball carried in the breeze and hit the bar.

It then took a double clearance off the line from Angel Rangel and Dominic Ball to spoil it for Silva and Adama Diakhaby. Brice Samba in the Forest goal was also called into action to save from Ryan Manning after good work by Marc Pugh.

Ebere Eze, playing the 100th game of his career, could have capped the landmark with a free- kick but his effort went wide.

Rangers boss Warburton said: “To come here and get a point is very pleasing. The ball was moving but I would have been raging if it had been against me and I’m sure Sabri is raging.”