IT’S SMASH AND GRABB
Forest take bragging rights – and the Clough Trophy
THE Brian Clough Trophy will be safely stored in the Nottingham Forest trophy cabinet – and it could be there for some years to come.
Lewis Grabban and Brennan Johnson hit second-half goals to ensure the hosts took East Midlands derby honours in a predictably fiery clash.
These two famous old rivals compete for the silverware named after the legendary boss and neither gave an inch with Ravel Morrison’s late sending off followed by handbags at the end.
With Forest storming towards Premier League contention after a third straight win and Wayne Rooney’s Derby crashing towards inevitable relegation you can understand the passion.
Home boss Steve Cooper said: “I thought we were good, and we were worthy winners. They had a man sent off but we didn’t lose our heads. I love my team.
“We were together, had good organisation, positionally we were good and that gave us the opportunity to take our chances.”
This was always going to be a derby of real importance given the uncertainty on whether the Rams will even exist given the administrators’ continued battle to sell the club.
But this game could have had an entirely different outcome had Derby captain Tom Lawrence not missed a 16th-minute sitter.
The playmaker sidefooted wide after being set up by Colin KazimRichards. The second half was vastly different though as Forest took the lead three minutes after the restart with a scrappy goal.
Grabban pounced to bury the loose ball after Steve Cook’s heavily-deflected effort had fallen into his path.
A mini-pitch invasion was followed by flares as fans were far from on their best behaviour.
But at the other end flair from Lawrence came so close to a County leveller as sub Luke Plange set up Morrison, whose shot deflected wide.
This game was settled though seven minutes from time as Philip Zinckernagel’s superb leftside run set up the impressive Johnson to confidently fire home.
Derby under Rooney don’t give up though. And they earned a penalty as Cook fouled Lawrence with the Rams captain stepping up to fire home from the spot.
But the Rams could not find another opportunity with Morrison lunging at Zinckernagel in the dying stages to earn a red.
That prompted ugly scenes at the finish (below) as ref Tim Robinson dished out the cards.
Rooney says he is ready to sign players as soon as the club is sold.
He said: “This is a terrible position to be in and needs sorting. We have seen players who would like to play for Derby and there is one here today at Forest. But the existence of the club is far more important.” NOTT’M FOREST: Samba 6; Yates 7, Cook 6, McKenna 6; Spence 6, Garner 8, Colback 7, Lowe 6; Johnson 8, Grabban 7 (Taylor 84), Davis 7 (Zinckernagel 68, 7). Subs not used: Horvath, Figueiredo, Bong, Cafu, Silva. DERBY COUNTY: Allsop 7; Byrne 6, Stearman 6, Davies 7, Buchanan 6; Ebosele 6 (Morrison 60, 4), Bird 6, Thompson 6 (Sibley 78), Knight 6; Kazim-Richards 6 (Plange 60, 6), Lawrence 7.
Subs not used: Roos, Forsyth, Jozwiak, Cashin.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Brennan Johnson.
Full of running and settled this contest with a composed finish.
REFEREE: Tim Robinson 6.