McKAY’S BEAUTY FIRES LUCKY FOREST
THE CHAMPIONSHIP may only be a day old but so good was the only goal of this game it will be tough to better in the 295 days of competition to follow. Barrie McKay earned the plaudits but Nottingham Forest were not even close to deserving victory over Millwall. The visitors should have won handsomely, and can be aggrieved for a disallowed goal 15 minutes from the end. Steve Morison finished off Jed Wallace’s cross from a tight angle and ran to celebrate with the away fans for a good 30 seconds. But referee Peter Bankes had spotted an infringement that nobody else saw and eventually blew his whistle. It was a call that left Neil Harris justifiably baffled. For Mark Warburton, it was a fortunate start to what he hopes will be Forest’s reawakening. Optimism has spread at the City Ground as the takeover by Evangelos Marinakis begins to create positive change behind the scenes after Fawaz AlHasawi’s damaging reign. Warburton has shaped his team in his image during a promising pre-season. But it was Millwall who began the sharper. George Saville clipped the outside of the post from close range and Millwall created six more clear cut chances in the opening half. Somehow the hosts went in ahead. It was a special goal too. McKay became a Rangers regular under Warburton and the Forest manager was determined to bring him south of the border this summer. At a cost of £500,000 due to his contract being a year from expiration, the winger already looks superb value for money. Forest were struggling badly to find any fluency until McKay took responsibility four minutes before the interval. Collecting the ball on the left touchline, he cut inside, glided past two Millwall players and struck the sweetest of shots from 25 yards that flew in off the near post. Warburton still left the field shaking his head in frustration. Millwall had cut them open at will. Morison struck the bar, Lee Gregory skied an effort when through, and Aiden O’Brien sent a header over when it ought to have rippled the net. Millwall’s profligacy grew after the break. Jordan Smith erred horribly by throwing the ball to Morison, who squared to Gregory but the striker got under his finish for an appalling miss.