FOREST PAIR HELP GRABB TOP CHANCE
‘We have to pick ourselves up.. quickly’
LEWIS GRABBAN and Ben Watson helped Forest cement their play-off claims – but they almost didn’t get the chance.
Grabban’s early penalty, his 20th strike this season, and Watson’s midfield efforts kept their promotion push alive.
Yet both were told they could go by Martin O’Neill, until he was sacked a year ago. Replacement Sabri Lamouchi encouraged them to stay – with amazing results over the past 12 months.
At Deepdale, Grabban slotted home his spot-kick after Preston’s Ben Pearson felled Nuno Da Costa, right under the nose of referee Jeremy Simpson.
But after the ever-dangerous Jayden Stockley levelled (above) from close range to spark a Preston fight-back, Watson helped Forest weather the storm.
And Watson admitted: “We’re in a fantastic position at Forest, and it’s great to be involved in this push for the play-offs.
“We now have to get the job finished, with a tough game against Swansea on Wednesday.
“That’s Lewis’ 20th goal of the season – and that’s the first time since 2013 this has been achieved at Forest.
“He’s one of the best scorers in the Championship, and we’re fortunate to have him.”
A point kept Preston’s own play-off hopes flickering, and boss Alex Neil insisted: “We are still in the hunt. We have three big games left, starting at Brentford on Wednesday.”
Midfielder Brad Potts, who set up Stockley’s equaliser, said: “If we play to Jayden’s strengths you can see how effective he can be.”
PRESTON:
Rothwell Krovinovic
SLAVEN BILIC warned West Brom can’t afford a hangover that could give them a promotion headache.
The Baggies were held by Blackburn, giving Brentford the chance to close the gap on them to three points in the race for automatic promotion.
The Bees have now won seven on the bounce to keep the heat on Bilic’s side with three games to go.
It doesn’t get any easier for West Brom when they host promotion-chasing Fulham tomorrow night.
A defeat would give Brentford the chance to overtake them and open the door for the Cottagers.
“It’s not ideal but I told the guys, we have a big three games to go starting against Fulham and that is it,” said boss Bilic.
“We can talk, talk and talk, but no. We have to pick ourselves up now and be ready for Fulham. The lads are very disappointed. I told them we have to pick ourselves up, big time.
“We have no time to moan, no time to be sad, no time to feel sorry for ourselves, nothing.
“We have to get up and show our quality, our character and our everything against Fulham.”
West Brom took a first-half lead through Filip Krovinovic’s strike (below) but they were wasteful in front of goal.
The Baggies had 13 shots – eight on target – but couldn’t get another and they were punished after the break.
Sam Gallagher cut the ball back for fellow sub Joe Rothwell to find the bottom corner and earn Blackburn a point.
Rovers could have upset West Brom’s promotion hopes further but another sub, Jacob
Ref: Jarred Gillett
Davenport, was denied oneon-one by Baggies keeper Sam Johnstone.
“That could be a very, very important point for us,” said Bilic who was booked after an ugly confrontation with Blackburn defender Darragh Lenihan.
“The way we played, the way we were dominating, we have to score the second one.”
Blackburn are 12th with a trip Millwall tomorrow and Rothwell is refusing to give up hope of finishing in the top six.
“You never know,” said the Blackburn midfielder. “There’s three games to go and a lot could happen.
“Let’s win all three and see where that leaves us.”
MOTM
CHRISTIAN WALTON (BLACKBURN)