FOREST RECALL THE GLORY DAYS
THE City Ground rose to acclaim Brian Clough and by Friday night the good times could be back for Nottingham Forest.
Fifteen years since his death, Forest paid tribute to Clough.
Fans turned up in green tops like those Clough used to wear, and there was a fantastic round of applause at 15 minutes, Barnsley fans included, from a full house.
A beaming picture of Cloughie, with one of the two European Cups he won, dominated the ground on the big screens.
He took them to the pinnacle of success, but for the last 20 years the club he made world-famous has been struggling to get back into the Premier League.
The team’s current form, and that of their manager Sabri Lamouchi, suggests they might do it this time.
If Forest win at Stoke on Friday night they will be top of the Championship, repeating what Clough did all those years ago – getting the club out of the old Second Division on the way to becoming the No1 in Europe.
But they were lucky to get away with this one against a Barnsley team that played well.
Forest are unbeaten now in nine games and are in the Championship’s top six.
Barnsley, with barely a point or a goal to their name, made it trickier than expected and were well in the game until Ben Watson scored in the 56th minute.
The final pass was from Matty Cash, but the architect of the goal was Joao Carvalho, a little 22-year-old Portuguese creative midfielder Clough would have loved.
“It was a great victory, fantastic victory,” said a relieved Lamouchi.
“Barnsley played well and we suffered.
“Three points and a clean sheet for the second game in a row – it is a very good time for us.
“We couldn’t put three passes together, but finally did it for the winning goal.
“This Championship league is so, so tough. The marathon only started a month ago and we are in the top six of the table. “
Lewis Grabban has scored as many goals himself this season as Barnsley have managed in total – and if he had taken two more in the first half it would have been much easier for Forest.
It might have been worse, however, because just before the break it took a good save from Brice Samba to stop Barnsley from going ahead from Luke Thomas’ 25-yarder.
Thomas also had a belter saved in the second half.
Forest were anything but in control as Barnsley buzzed around for an equaliser with captain Michael Dawson, co-central defender Joe Worrall, Watson and Samba working overtime in order to hold on to the win.
Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel admitted to feeling some frustration at coming away empty handed, saying: “It’s a very disappointing result but a great performance.
“We can’t play much better than we did in the second half but we just needed to score.
“I’m very proud of my team’s display and our attitude – we just have to believe in our style and our game.”