Advantage Forest – but it’s still close call
SEAT BUT TENSE SECOND LEG IS ON THE CARDS AT THE CITY GROUND
IT’S advantage Nottingham Forest. They are so, so close.
But this Championship play-offs semi-final against Sheffield United is far from done.
Steve Cooper joked he had been watching through his fingers at times.
And there is another gripping 90 minutes to come.
Only this time, it will be under the lights at the City Ground, in front of a sold-out crowd and in what is sure to be an electric atmosphere.
The Reds go into tomorrow night’s game knowing what they need to do to finish the job. More of the same.
How they went about the task at Bramall Lane was a study in away play-off performances. On the front foot from the off, devastating on the counter and, for the most part, rocksolid at the back.
The Forest head coach praised his team’s mentality as they came away 2-1 up from the first leg.
They will need to be even more switched on for the return – guarding against any complacency, coming up against a team smarting from a schooling and with nothing to lose.
The Blades really should have been dead and buried at this midway point.
Cooper’s side tore them apart in the first half and created enough chances to have been well clear.
How decisive missed opportunities and Sander Berge’s late goal prove to be remains to be seen.
This tie remains very much alive.
■■Attacking threat
United couldn’t live with Forest in the first half.
After Jack Colback’s opener, Sam Surridge and Brennan Johnson were lining up to take shots at Wes Foderingham, and Ryan Yates went close.
The Reds’ pace caused the hosts all kinds of problems.
They were superb on the break, if not quite as clinical as they would have liked in front of goal, given they could have had several in the opening 45 minutes alone.
Still, it showed where the Blades can be exposed.
And Forest will fancy their chances of doing the same again on the banks of the Trent.
Philip Zinckernagel was at the heart of much of that good work; he pulled the strings behind Johnson and Surridge.
Djed Spence’s lightning runs down the right were menacing, too.
But from front to back, the Reds were positive straight from kick-off.
Some lovely balls from the back three helped set the tone.
■■Family connection
It’s not quite revenge, yet. But for Johnson to get on the scoresheet – just as dad David did 19 years ago – tugged at the heartstrings.
Particularly with the celebrations from Johnson Snr in the away end.
“We need the spirit of 2003,” was the rallying cry from the stadium announcer as the second half began. A Johnson goal 25 minutes later was perhaps not quite what he had in mind.
Second-leg memories from that aforementioned encounter will mean nobody of a Forest persuasion is getting ahead of themselves. This is a completely different team, though.
Johnson had Joe Lolley to thank for teeing him up for his 18th of the season.
It has been a somewhat frustrating campaign for the winger but he showed a glimpse of the Lolley of old when he came off the bench.
There was terrific determination to win the ball in the first place, then a powerful drive forward. And, although there was a touch of fortune about his cross-shot being deflected into his team-mate’s path, it had proved to be an inspired substitution.
■■Late hope
For 90-odd minutes, the “Red Wall” had been immovable at the back.
The trio of Joe Worrall, Steve Cook and Scott Mckenna were immense, making countless blocks and challenges during a period when they were under the cosh after the break.
Surridge had weighed in with a crucial headed clearance off the line
COLBACK AND JOHNSON PUT REDS IN DRIVING
in the first half, too. It was almost a near-perfect afternoon.
Berge reducing the deficit, however, gives United a lifeline. They’ll know Forest should be out of sight now, and will cling to that chink of light.
That will have given them a lift. That goal changes the picture. The tie remains tight.
It’s also the third successive match where the Reds have conceded a goal after the 80th minute. That may seem like being picky, given how well they have played, but it’s still something which needs cutting out – particularly when the margins between success and failure can be so fine.
The visitors looked ever so slightly downcast as they applauded the travelling fans at the final whistle.
However, Cooper took umbrage over their being any sense of disappointment in the changing room. It was, he said, “really positive”.
Still, it wouldn’t be the play-offs without some drama. And the scoreline means there is still everything to play for tomorrow. If it is as breathless an encounter as Saturday, anything could still happen if the hosts are not fully focused.
■■Go again
Cooper has stressed several times the importance of sticking to an identity; of keeping with the approach which has already brought rewards. He felt his team didn’t do that in that decisive defeat at Bournemouth, getting drawn into pumping too many long balls up the pitch.
Forest’s task now, is to continue doing what they have already shown they are so good at. And this time, they will have a rocking City Ground to spur them on.
It will be quite the occasion. It has been so many times already this season.
The Reds have only lost once on their own patch so far this year, to Liverpool in the FA Cup. That one might have panned out differently, too.
They have won their last seven League games there, conceding only twice in that run.
They have shown mental fortitude to pick themselves up after missing out on automatic promotion. They have Keinan Davis available again, after injury. There is every reason to feel positive.
But all of that will count for nothing if Forest don’t get the job done. It is in their hands.