As we hurtle towards the new season we continue our look back and round up of last season by moving onto February
January had been a wonderful month for the Reds. We had set ourselves up as promotion contenders,and had added a signing or two which was a rarity for Forest. We had a left back, also a rarity, with the arrival of Konchesky coming in on deadline day.
The next day he was in the team as Forest went to Coventry and won. It hadn't been easy, we went behind to a Marlon King goal, a scrappy goal at that. But Forest showed a strong resolve to come from behind and beat the Sky Blues. McGugan scored our first with a goal that Westwood in the Coventry goal really should have done better with, as it dipped and swerved right in front of him. Then came a very bitter-sweet moment in the Forest season. Moussi chased somewhat of a lost cause, Coventry stopping as they thought the ball was out, and as he crossed the ball he injured himself. Earnshaw scored the goal,but Moussi's night was over, and he would be out fora while,which would disrupt our season a lot.
Four days later it was the turn of Watford to come to the City Ground and attempt to end or amazing unbeaten run at home.They would of course fail. Forest winning 1-0 against the Hornets. An early Tudgay goal fired the Reds up to a temporary second spot in the league, even more strengthening our belief that this was our season to finally regain a place in the top flight. Cohen's centre from the left found Earnshaw, who prodded the ball onto Tudgay, to finish into the bottom left hand corner of Scott Loaches goal. The game promised more goals which it didn't deliver, but we didn't mind one iota.
A bit of a gap till the next game, which was a battle of heavyweights. QPR hosted the Reds in a game televised on Sky. QPR took the lead through Black, before things looked a lot worse for the Reds, Majewski with a terrible tackle on Tarabt, and getting himself sent off. It really did look curtains for the Reds at this juncture. However McGoldrick would see us right, deflecting in a goal that had he not been there would not have gone in. Forest were level. And that's how it would remain in a largely forgettable second half. A commendable point all things considered. One that had most Forest fans delighted. Having gone to both Cardiff and QPR and come away with something from both games we could fear nobody now.
3 days later it would begin to go wrong. On a horrible pitch Scunthorpe would beat us at Glanfrd Park and the first seeds of doubt were sown. Most at the time put this result down as being a blip. But it ended up being so much more. We lost to a single Chris Dagnall goal in the first half. However the match report we wrote at the time seemed to be one of the most psychic I ever wrote.
We had to bounce back as predicted, and bounce back we did. Cardiff came to the City Ground we gleefully completed the double over the Welsh side.This had us convinced Scunthorpe was just one of the games. Morgan gave Forest a first half lead through a header from a McGugan corner. Cardiff would level with a debatable penalty netted by Whittingham of all people. But of course Earnshaw would have the last say against his former (and now current ) club. Scoring from close range from Anderson's centre. It was a creditable win against a very good side and should have been more when at the death Tyson went clear and tried to score rather than squaring for what would have been an easy third. No matter we thought. We are up to second, beating one of our biggest rivals and things ar locking good. Aren't they?
Well yes and No. The next game would be one that encompassed our season. The Preston game is arguably where everything started to go wrong. Preston were team that we should really have thrashed. Struggling, low on confidence and with Phil Brown managing them. Alas,not to be, and in dramatic circumstances. Preston scored first through Nicholson. And so the first half ended with us behind with a capacity crowd in City Ground following another cheap offer. Many of these fair weathers booed the team. Seemingly incredulous that we should fail on the one match they bother to turn up a season. Konchesky equalised 10 mins into the second half before injuring himself and going off. Then the drama started. 90 mins, and Cohen took an in swinging free kick that evaded everyone and dropped into the corner to put Forest into the lead. So late on!! Surely a win. Well Forest, no. We went to sleep and allowed Preston to go up the other end in the 96th minute and equalised, which saw Phil Brown and co invade Forests technical zone.
So a sucker punch.But again, hopefully just a blip. The next game was a 0-0 away draw with Millwall which was more a relief than anything else. Easily a game we could have lost, we still got something out of it and looked good again for moving on into the last portions of the season.
However, Moussi's injury and the fact it left us short in midfield would be a starting point to the rot. Preston showed us we need that enforcer in there to kill a game. And it would cost us. At the time it felt like one of those game that had a grave portent of what was to come, and by and large it would.
January had been a wonderful month for the Reds. We had set ourselves up as promotion contenders,and had added a signing or two which was a rarity for Forest. We had a left back, also a rarity, with the arrival of Konchesky coming in on deadline day.
The next day he was in the team as Forest went to Coventry and won. It hadn't been easy, we went behind to a Marlon King goal, a scrappy goal at that. But Forest showed a strong resolve to come from behind and beat the Sky Blues. McGugan scored our first with a goal that Westwood in the Coventry goal really should have done better with, as it dipped and swerved right in front of him. Then came a very bitter-sweet moment in the Forest season. Moussi chased somewhat of a lost cause, Coventry stopping as they thought the ball was out, and as he crossed the ball he injured himself. Earnshaw scored the goal,but Moussi's night was over, and he would be out fora while,which would disrupt our season a lot.
Four days later it was the turn of Watford to come to the City Ground and attempt to end or amazing unbeaten run at home.They would of course fail. Forest winning 1-0 against the Hornets. An early Tudgay goal fired the Reds up to a temporary second spot in the league, even more strengthening our belief that this was our season to finally regain a place in the top flight. Cohen's centre from the left found Earnshaw, who prodded the ball onto Tudgay, to finish into the bottom left hand corner of Scott Loaches goal. The game promised more goals which it didn't deliver, but we didn't mind one iota.
A bit of a gap till the next game, which was a battle of heavyweights. QPR hosted the Reds in a game televised on Sky. QPR took the lead through Black, before things looked a lot worse for the Reds, Majewski with a terrible tackle on Tarabt, and getting himself sent off. It really did look curtains for the Reds at this juncture. However McGoldrick would see us right, deflecting in a goal that had he not been there would not have gone in. Forest were level. And that's how it would remain in a largely forgettable second half. A commendable point all things considered. One that had most Forest fans delighted. Having gone to both Cardiff and QPR and come away with something from both games we could fear nobody now.
3 days later it would begin to go wrong. On a horrible pitch Scunthorpe would beat us at Glanfrd Park and the first seeds of doubt were sown. Most at the time put this result down as being a blip. But it ended up being so much more. We lost to a single Chris Dagnall goal in the first half. However the match report we wrote at the time seemed to be one of the most psychic I ever wrote.
Whether this is a mere wobble, or the beginnings of a full on derailment of the promotion train will become apparent over the next weeks. Needless to say quick recovery on Saturday is needed.
We had to bounce back as predicted, and bounce back we did. Cardiff came to the City Ground we gleefully completed the double over the Welsh side.This had us convinced Scunthorpe was just one of the games. Morgan gave Forest a first half lead through a header from a McGugan corner. Cardiff would level with a debatable penalty netted by Whittingham of all people. But of course Earnshaw would have the last say against his former (and now current ) club. Scoring from close range from Anderson's centre. It was a creditable win against a very good side and should have been more when at the death Tyson went clear and tried to score rather than squaring for what would have been an easy third. No matter we thought. We are up to second, beating one of our biggest rivals and things ar locking good. Aren't they?
Well yes and No. The next game would be one that encompassed our season. The Preston game is arguably where everything started to go wrong. Preston were team that we should really have thrashed. Struggling, low on confidence and with Phil Brown managing them. Alas,not to be, and in dramatic circumstances. Preston scored first through Nicholson. And so the first half ended with us behind with a capacity crowd in City Ground following another cheap offer. Many of these fair weathers booed the team. Seemingly incredulous that we should fail on the one match they bother to turn up a season. Konchesky equalised 10 mins into the second half before injuring himself and going off. Then the drama started. 90 mins, and Cohen took an in swinging free kick that evaded everyone and dropped into the corner to put Forest into the lead. So late on!! Surely a win. Well Forest, no. We went to sleep and allowed Preston to go up the other end in the 96th minute and equalised, which saw Phil Brown and co invade Forests technical zone.
So a sucker punch.But again, hopefully just a blip. The next game was a 0-0 away draw with Millwall which was more a relief than anything else. Easily a game we could have lost, we still got something out of it and looked good again for moving on into the last portions of the season.
However, Moussi's injury and the fact it left us short in midfield would be a starting point to the rot. Preston showed us we need that enforcer in there to kill a game. And it would cost us. At the time it felt like one of those game that had a grave portent of what was to come, and by and large it would.
Comments
Post a Comment