Saturday, April 18, 2009

Nottingham Forest 1 Coventry 0 - 18/04/2009

Nottingham Forest 1 Coventry 0 - 18/04/2009

Nottingham Forest: Paul Smith, Chris Gunter, Luke Chambers, Wes Morgan, James Perch, Isaiah Osbourne, Lewis McGugan (Ian Breckin 85), Paul Anderson (Garath McCleary 45), Chris Cohen, Joe Garner, Dexter Blackstock
Subs not used: Shane Redmond, Arron Davies, Robert Earnshaw
Booked: Lewis McGugan 13
Goals: James Perch 46

Coventry City: Keiren Westwood, Elliott Ward, Daniel Fox, Scott Dann (Ben Turner 69), Isaac Osbourne, Guillaume Beuzelin, Aron Gunnarsson, Michael Doyle, Freddy Eastwood, Robbie Simpson (Ashley Cain 75), Clinton Morrison
Subs not used: Andy Marshall, Adam Walker, Marcus Hall
Booked: Isaac Osbourne 90, Michael Doyle 64

Attendance: 27856
Referee: S Tanner

Teamtalk
Nottingham Forest climbed out of the Championship drop zone with a 1-0 home win over Coventry as City's dismal away form continued.

James Perch steered the ball into the bottom corner from 12 yards in the opening minute of the second half.

With Barnsley drawing at Reading and Norwich not in action until Sunday in the East Anglia derby against Ipswich, the goal lifted Forest above both of their relegation rivals and up to 20th in the table.

Both managers made two changes from the sides they fielded in their respective Bank Holiday Monday fixtures.

One was forced upon Billy Davies after Kelvin Wilson was sent off in Forest's battling goalless draw at Sheffield United.

Another defender Ian Breckin also dropped out of the starting line-up as midfielders Paul Anderson and Lewis McGugan were recalled.

Aron Gunnarsson and Robbie Simpson returned from injury to boost Chris Coleman's options for Coventry. They came into the side at the expense of Marcus Hall and Kevin Thornton.

Gunnarsson's long throws caused Forest problems early on and it was from one of his long launches into the box that the first chance arrived.

McGugan's headed clearance only went as far as Guillaume Beuzelin on the edge of the area and the Frenchman's first-time shot flew just over the crossbar.

Beuzelin flashed another effort wide after 11 minutes before Clinton Morrision warmed Paul Smith's palms from 12 yards out.

Despite Coventry's dominance it was Forest who came closest to scoring after 20 minutes when Luke Chambers headed McGugan's inswinging corner against the crossbar.

The half-time introduction of Garath McCleary for the injured Anderson breathed new life into Forest, who went ahead immediately after the restart.

Following good build-up play down the right, Dexter Blackstock held the ball up and laid it into the path of Perch and he guided his shot past Keiren Westwood.

It took two Coventry defenders to halt a marauding run from McCleary and the 21-year-old threatened again with a 15-yard shot just before the hour mark.

Westwood kept the Sky Blues in the game midway through the second half with a parrying save to deny Chris Cohen.

CCFC
The Sky Blues were unlucky to come away from Nottingham Forest with nothing after a tight game at the City Ground.

City were the stronger side in the opening period, but James Perch struck 45 seconds after the restart to give the Reds a valuable win in their fight against relegation.

Chris Coleman brought Robbie Simpson and Aron Gunnarsson back into the team, favouring the 4-5-1 system.

City went on the attack early and had a great opportunity to score in the second minute. Clinton Morrison received the ball in the area with his back to goal and passed back to Guillaume Beuzelin in space - but the Frenchman blasted his shot high over the bar.

Both sides tried to push forward, but neither had a real chance until the 21st minute. Lewis McGugan swung in a free-kick and Luke Chambers sent a powerful header towards goal, which rebounded off the crossbar.

The chance sparked City into life. Morrison won a free-kick 22-yards from goal minutes later, but Fox could not add to his goal tally.

In the 29th minute, after excellent controlled play, Scott Dann fed Morrison, who turned and sent a ball to Freddy Eastwood at the back post - but his outstretched boot could not turn the ball in from four-yards.

Forest were looking nervous all over the park, and City started to push. However, despite a number of corners and half-chances, no chance was good enough to provide a goal.

City thought they had a penalty in the 43rd minute when Gunnarsson broke into the area, but referee Steve Tanner judged the foul to be just outside the penalty area.

The second-half brought about a change of fortunes and Forest were soon ahead.

McGugan received the ball out wide and played in Dexter Blackstock, who held the ball well before laying it off for Perch to fire home.

Forest could have extended their lead in the 56th minute. Dan Fox was dispossessed 30-yards from goal allowing Blackstock a potential one-on-one. Scott Dann made a last ditch tackle to block the shot - and then McGugan failed to fire the loose ball near the goal.

The Sky Blues were struggling to reproduce the edge they had in the first half. Forest began to dominate - but they didn't come close again until the 74th minute.

A testing corner dropped in the middle of the penalty area and eventually bobbled towards Keiren Westwood. He dived to collect but Isaac Osbourne tried to boot it clear - only for the ball to rebound off the crowd of players and back towards goal, going narrowly wide.

Coleman introduced academy star Ashley Cain in the 74th minute in an attempt to inject pace, but Forest were defending well and prevented the Sky Blues from mounting a comeback.

4thegame
Nottingham Forest gave their Championship survival hopes a massive boost with a battling 1-0 win over Coventry City.

Skipper James Perch drove home just 45 seconds into the second half to lift the Reds out of the relegation zone and take them a step closer to avoiding the drop into League One.

The Sky Blues could have put themselves in the driving seat in the first half but for an astonishing miss from Freddy Eastwood.

But by the end, Forest were unlucky not to have increased their advantage after dominating a second half that saw Chris Cohen come close to adding a second.

Chances were sparse in a cagey opening to the contest but it was Coventry who missed the best of them as good work from Eastwood saw him square a clever ball towards the near post where Clinton Morrison turned smartly but fired straight at Paul Smith.

Forest were not without menace themselves, however, as defender Luke Chambers rose on the edge of the six-yard box to head a Lewis McGugan corner powerfully against the bar.

A remarkably poor piece of finishing from Eastwood denied Coventry the lead in the 29th minute with the forward side-footing wide from barely two yards after being picked out by Morrison at the far post.

McGugan then launched himself into an impressive run that carried him through three challenges, before finally being denied by a desperate challenge from Elliott Ward as he threatened to burst into the box.

Referee Steve Tanner was having a poor match, making several questionable decisions, but none was more mystifying than his decision not to award a penalty to Coventry after Joe Garner had brought down Aron Gunnarsson inside the area, with the Somerset official instead awarding a free-kick on the edge of the box.

Forest did not feel sorry for themselves for long in the second half after powering their way into the lead after only 45 seconds of the restart.

Dexter Blackstock collected a low, lashed cross from McGugan on the edge of the six-yard box before rolling an intelligent ball into the path of Perch, who lashed a confident left-footed finish low into the bottom corner.

Forest should have had a second when Garath McCleary, a half-time substitute, fired over from good position after a Blackstock effort had been charged down.

Cohen was only denied by a strong save from Keiran Westwood after robbing Danny Fox of possession and surging into the box, while Blackstock came close with a lofted, flicked header that dropped just over.

A clever back-heel from Garner almost carved out a second for Forest with Elliott Ward's driven goal-line clearance bouncing back of Blackstock and narrowly wide of the post.

Despite having to hold on under some pressure in injury time, Forest secured a win that took them out of the bottom three.

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