FOREST HIGHER
Zinckernagel strike boosts automatic promotion hope
FULHAM 0 NOTT’M FOREST 1
PHILIP ZINCKERNAGEL blew the Championship promotion race wide open as he gatecrashed Fulham’s title party – and thrust Nottingham Forest right into the reckoning.
The Danish forward, on loan at Forest from Watford, capitalised on some calamitous defending to notch a precious goal that earned Steve Cooper’s side their sixth win in their past seven games.
It left Forest just three points behind Bournemouth in the second automatic promotion place, after the Cherries drew at Swansea, with three games left – and the pair meet at the Vitality Stadium next Tuesday.
Fulham, already promoted, had only needed to better Bournemouth’s result to clinch the title but Forest were in no mood to let that happen.
Jack Colback had an early shot saved as Fulham gave the ball away – and then Forest took the lead with a comedy goal.
Colback took a quick throw, the ball was poked onwards by Sam Surridge, and as Tim Ream and goalkeeper Marek Rodak hesitated, Zinckernagel nipped in, outmuscled both, and when the ball ran loose, stabbed it into the empty net. Cottagers manager Silva, below, was fuming on the sidelines – not only at the shambolic defending but also at Surridge barging over Neco Williams before the throw-in. Fulham fought back, but Fabio Carvalho shot straight at Brice Samba.
Forest though were so dangerous on the break, and Colback again tested Rodak, before both Carvalho and Aleksandar Mitrovic missed chances at the other end. Bobby Decordova-Reid went close before Mitrovic saw his header fly over but Forest should have added to their lead when Ream missed his clearance.
Brennan Johnson, chased by a bevy of Premier League clubs – Brentford manager Thomas Frank was in the stands watching – showed just why as he raced away to cross, but Rodak dashed out to stop Surridge’s point blank shot.
In a breathless game, Samba then superbly tipped Carvalho’s shot round the post as Fulham piled on the pressure as Tosin Adarabioyo volleyed over. FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Rodak 6; Williams 7 (Tete 76), Adarabioyo 6, Ream 5, Bryan 6 (Muniz 76); Reed 6 (Cairney 57, 6), Seri 7; Wilson 6, Carvalho 7, Decordova-Reid 6; Mitrovic 6.
FOREST (3-4-1-2): Samba 7; Worrall 7, Cook 7, McKenna 7; Garner 6, Spence 7, Yates 7, Colback 7 (Laryea 75); Zinckernagel 7 (Lolley 65, 6); Surridge 7 (Ribeiro Dias 72, 6), Johnson 8. Goal: Zinckernagel 15.