2 days ago
8
Nottingham Forest finished their rollercoaster week on the up, with three away points against Brentford restoring their five-point buffer from the relegation zone.
Mouthwatering goals from Forest’s maligned strikers, first Igor Jesus with a blaster then a solo effort from Taiwo Awoniyi, put memories of fan displeasure after defeat in the Europa League behind Sean Dyche and his team and confirmed four league points in eight days after their Arsenal draw. Awoniyi’s goal in particular was a welcome milestone, his first since being placed in an induced coma after he collided with a post at the end of last season.
Things could perhaps had been different had the ball rolled obligingly for Brentford’s Igor Thiago in the second minute of the match. After Kevin Schade had bested Ola Aina down the left, the Brazilian made connection with a low cross, but his stretched finish bobbled inches beyond the far post. It was a moment that looked to augur well for the hosts but, 10 minutes later, Aina was away down the other end and the visitors took the lead.
Forest’s right-back had gone up against Rico Henry a couple of times before his low cross bounced up off the Bees defender in the 12th minute. Looping high into the air, the ball was watched by Igor Jesus, who controlled it off his shoulder, left Kristoffer Ajer in a heap, and buried a dagger of a shot back across goal, past Caoimhín Kelleher’s trailing hand into the net.
It was a goal that sucked the breath out of the stadium, such was the decisive way in which it was taken. It was Igor Jesus’s second league goal of the season, but the Brazilian has been consistent in his endeavour and his physical prowess was there for all to see in this moment.
Forest settled into the game from there, Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson dictating the tempo for Dyche’s team. Brentford looked to be at a loss, their lightning transitions hampered by Forest’s happiness to dig in out of possession. An enforced double substitution in the 35th minute, with Mikkel Damsgaard and Ajer injured and replaced by Dango Ouattara and Sepp van den Berg, allowed for a change of shape, with a midfield three closing up space in the centre and allowing a shift back to parity, in terms of possession at least.
The second half was a dull watch. Perhaps as a result of Brentford’s first-half switch, play was condensed in the middle and space was at such a premium that only the quickest of interchanges could hope to create space, and they rarely did. Brentford had the better of the ball and were able to maintain possession 30 yards out from the Forest goal but Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic refused to let anything beyond them, be it ball or man, and the sight of Brentford forwards being flung to the ground (legally) became commonplace.
Any sense of expectation appeared to be drained from home players and supporters alike as Igor Thiago failed to make the most of two half chances and another flick-on in the box was missed by Nathan Collins on the six-yard line. With the hosts running out of ideas, Forest began to emerge from their shell and, with 10 minutes of normal time remaining, Gibbs-White took the ball out of the air to send the substitute Awoniyi away down the right.
The Nigerian did not require a second invitation to make his mark. Making only his eighth appearance of the season as he continues his rehabilitation, Awoniyi bested Van den Berg in a foot race, cut inside and past him, watched Michael Kayode slide past him in a failed attempt at a late block, and finished smoothly past Kelleher. By way of celebration, Awoniyi removed his shinpads, which were both marked with a crucifix, and placed them over his eyes.
