Grabban eases Nottingham Forest past Huddersfield while Wednesday win
Lewis Grabban scored twice to help Sabri Lamouchi celebrate a year in charge of Nottingham Forest with a comfortable 3-1 win against Huddersfield. Grabban scored two minutes before half-time and again within a minute of the restart to put Forest in control as he took his tally for the season to 19 goals.
Lamouchi praised Grabban for the pivotal role he played in the victory but believes it is his side’s ethic as a team that has put them in the race for the play-offs.
“Lewis is so important for how we play and he will continue to be,” the manager said. “Keep going, score again please, because we have a lot of games still to come. He is very professional. He is fit, he works hard, he has a fantastic mentality. But it is not only him.
“The performance from the team was not so good; we were not like we can be. Brice Samba made two great saves and the performances of Joe Lolley, Ben Watson and Sammy Ameobi were also crucial. Today it was not important to play well, it was important to win. It is important that our mentality was right through that and well done to them for this important win. Well done for their team mentality.
“To play today, for the first time, at the City Ground without our fans was strange for me, so imagine what it was like for our players. They need the atmosphere, they need the fans and it is not easy. But here we are, with three points.”
Ryan Yates’s late finish sealed a win that lifts Lamouchi’s side into fourth place in the Championship and gave the Frenchman further cause for celebration, just over a week after signing a new contract.
Danny Cowley’s Huddersfield, on the other hand, remain in the relegation zone on goal difference after a second defeat since the restart. They finished the game with 10 men following Juninho Bacuna’s 89th-minute red card and Karlan Grant’s 96th-minute penalty provided scant consolation.
Sheffield Wednesday took advantage of Bristol City’s defensive troubles, claiming a 2-1 win at Ashton Gate. The result dealt another blow to City’s playoff hopes and the manager, Lee Johnson, made his feelings plain afterwards.
“It’s so disappointing because I felt our performance was an improvement and that we deserved something from the game,” Johnson said. “But to concede twice like that from set-pieces was unforgivable. You can’t hope to win games at this level if defenders don’t do their jobs.”
Johnson was left seething over the
mistakes that allowed Connor Wickham
to rise unchallenged to head home after 13 minutes and Massimo Luongo to double Wednesday’s advantage with a 59th-minute volley from close range. Both goals came from corners. Although Nahki Wells gave City hope with a 68th-minute header, the hosts were left five points adrift of the top six.