Forest unleash in the second half, again!

Nottingham Forest - 4
Southend United - 1

Well the league table is looking a lot rosier now, up to second place with a barnstorming win against promotion rivals Southend United at the City Ground this evening.  We started with the same lineup as saturday, which had me spitting feathers almost immediately, as we’d looked so much more composed with two strikers on the pitch against Tranmere.

At the time I hadn’t realised that it was a ricochet from a Clingan clearance that sliced apart our defence and left Mark Gower with an opportunity to put an absolute pearler of a shot past Paul Smith with just two minutes on the clock.  I’d assumed it was a killer throughball and poor defending, so it’s reassuring to realise it was at least a bit of an unfortunate mixup!

Forest did respond positively, but did look disjointed and uneasy.  Commons and Cohen seemed to alternate as the ’second striker’ in a kind of 4-4-2 formation, but we did seem to revert to a 4-5-1 quite readily leaving Junior Agogo with little or no options upfront, or indeed when he was deep in midfield or on the wing as he seemed to be!

Commons had the first real chance for us - a Cohen cross found him six yards out from goal, but he could only get a feeble left foot onto it giving the ‘keeper little trouble.  McGugan had a freekick deflected for a corner which came to nothing, and from here to around the half hour mark the game did descend into quite a scrappy affair reminiscent of the first half on saturday.

After half an hour Agogo put a decent cross in after good work from Davies, but the keeper was on hand to take the ball away from the danger as Commons was looming, giving Forest a corner - and a spell on increased pressure which was notably starting to rattle the Shrimpers who were starting to make unforced errors.

The equaliser came before half time.  After a corner was cleared the ball reached Clingan on the right who put in a terrific cross to the back stick, where an unmarked Breckin was able to launch himself at the ball and plant an unstoppable header into the back of the net.  This gave the Reds what was probably just about a deserved equaliser.

Forest started the second half with much more purpose (sound familiar?!), three minutes in and after yet another foul on Kris Commons, Clingan delivered a decent freekick into the box from which Chambers planted a powerful header onto the post.  Shortly after this Agogo also came close - Commons released him down the left and his first time shot flashed across the goal and wide.

Southend weren’t without opportunities though, a corner was played into the danger zone and bounced about all over the place - an unconfident looking Smith failed to get a punch on it, and fortunately for us it bounced off a Southend player and out for a goal kick.  Commons was booked after this for a poor challenge.

The long awaited introduction of Nathan Tyson now happened, it was Davies who was withdrawn from the action, with Commons switching sides and Cohen moving left and Tyson taking a place upfront alongside Agogo.  And minutes later he’d given us the lead - Cohen played him through, he looked suspiciously offside to me, but he showed great composure to take the ball on and finish calmly into the Trent End.

Almost immediately after this Clarke of Southend had a tussle with Chambers in the corner near the away fans, Clarke had wrestled Luke to the floor and practically removed his shirt before the were on their feet and squaring up to one another.  Chambers was cunning enough not to do a great deal as Clarke lunged towards him - at which Chambers duly collapsed in a heap as though he’d been poleaxed.

Now my understanding of the rules is that an intent to headbutt or shoulder is a red card, in which case the referee made the right decision (indeed, the guy could’ve been booked for the wrestling, and then again for the lunge if need be), so I think the referee did get the decision right, despite Tilson’s protestations, however I was disappointed to see Chambers to blatantly playact in this manner.

After the card, the Southend side that had looked composed in the first half looked disjointed and easily outnumbered - their policy of putting 2-3 men on Tyson when he had the ball left wide open spaces elsewhere, which gave Forest ample opportunity to enjoy plenty of possession and never really look overly troubled again in the game.

The third goal came when Agogo picked up the ball 30 yards from goal, he shaped to shoot a couple of times, and just as it looked like his chance had gone, from somewhere he unleashed a fantastic curling shot low to the right of the goal.  I would think the ‘keeper would be unhappy with not reaching it, although it was coming through a crowded area - so perhaps I’m being overly harsh.

Commons came close shortly after this, taking too long over a chance infront of goal and allowing a defender to get a block in to concede a corner.  From this corner the ball fell eventually to Brecks of all people, who was only able to direct his shot pretty much straight at the goalkeeper giving him some much needed respite.

Cohen worked well to provide another chance for Commons, but it was deflected and easy for the keeper to parry in the end.  A brief spell of Southend pressure followed, but Forest were to be granted a fourth goal - Tyson had a chance to cross which was blocked, but it came back to him and his second effort found Agogo in the box to head home his second, and Forests’ fourth.

Commons and Agogo were withdrawn at this point for Morgan who again took up a bizarre midfield role, and Emile Sinclair for a run out - after which it was basically a whole load of keepball from Forest as they wound down the clock until full time - after which it transpired that results hadn’t quite all gone our way - but Orient and Carlisle only drawing puts us second, and only a point off the top.

Of course, it’s Carlisle up next for us in the league after the distraction of an FA Cup game against Lincoln City - although Forest are in the process of trying to get this postponed due to international callups - so it may be that we don’t have a shot at the top as soon as we’d perhaps like whilst confidence is running high.

A big well done to the Reds - a great comeback and second half performance against a promotion rival is a cracking achievement.  After the disappointment of a poor 0-0 draw against Oldham this has been a great response to start to put points on the board, I’m certainly feeling very smug now!