Nottingham Forest 0-1 Bristol City: Smash and grab

A frustrating game in front of the TV cameras saw Forest’s four match unbeaten run come to an end against a resilient Bristol City. James Bolton reports from the City Ground.

Steve Cotterill unsurprisingly named an unchanged starting XI to the one that beat Crystal Palace 3-0 at Selhurst Park last weekend. They had reason to be full of confidence going into this vital relegation ‘six-pointer’ against Bristol City.

The opening exchanges didn’t yield much in terms of goalmouth action, but when Garath McCleary was given his first chance to run at left-back Jamie McAllister, he cut inside and saw his drive blocked.

With half an hour gone, Bristol City were coming into it a bit more with Chris Wood and Jon Stead proving and handful, but McCleary remained Forest’s best outlet, as he was causing all kinds of problems down the right flank.

Forest nearly took the lead when Adlene Guedioura dinked a ball over the top to Chris Gunter and Dexter Blackstock was agonisingly close to latching onto his cross with a diving header.

The first-half wasn’t hugely entertaining, but Forest were still playing some good stuff, and after a flowing passing move, McCleary laid off Guedioura but the Algerian could only spoon the ball over. Another nice move between Andy Reid and Blackstock created a chance, but Reid was denied from a tight angle by a fine save from Bristol City goalkeeper Dean Gerken.

In the second-half, Forest stepped it up a gear and Reid forced a good low save from Gerken. But it was the visitors who would grab an undeserved lead. A deep, looping cross from the right caught Lee Camp off guard, and when he spilled his initial attempt to claim the ball, he ran to try and smother the loose ball, but recklessly brought down Stead and gave away a penalty. He was lucky to escape with a yellow and arguably should have saved Wood’s spot kick, after going the right way and getting a hand to it.

Forest nearly drew level immediately, but were denied by the inspired Gerken. Reid’s delicious in-swinging free-kick was met by Joel Lynch, but his header was brilliant palmed over the bar.

Forest continued to totally dominate the game as Guedioura’s reverse pass played in Radi Majewski, but he hit the side netting from a tight angle.

Blackstock then had claims for a penalty of his own. The striker looked as though he was tugged back by Andre Amougou when he went to nod home McCleary’s cross, but referee Jock Waugh waved away appeals, but to the disbelief of the Forest players.

Bristol City were packing nine outfield players behind the ball but Forest continued to cause problems. Another effort looks as though it has burst the net, but Majewski’s effort from an over-hit Reid corner brushed the side netting.

Gunter then found himself in space in the box, prodded the ball back around the keeper, but the pass just didn’t quite fall for Blackstock. It was looking like it might become one of those days for Forest with nothing quite going our way.

The official’s questionable display continued when they halted play and awarded Forest a free-kick 20 yards out, despite Gunter galloping across the by-line, preparing to cross the ball into the middle.

Substitute Marcus Tudgay forced yet another good save from Gerken after heading goalwards from an Reid corner. The Irishman then went close himself, but his drive from 25 yards went just wide of Gerken’s left-hand post.

Bristol City looked like they’d grabbed a second on the counter-attack, but when Camp spilled Wood’s shot, Martyn Woolford was judged to be offside when he tapped home to rebound. This was another poor call from the linesman, as replays showed Woolford to be onside by a yard or so.

Luke Chambers forced another save from Gerken late on, but as they did against Brighton a few weeks ago, Forest couldn’t grab the late equaliser.

Personally, I think Camp’s brainless rush of blood to the head cost us a vital point. What was going through his mind when he chased after that loose ball I don’t know. At the other end, Gerken was equally responsible for City’s win, as he put in a man of the match performance with a string of good saves.

However, despite the defeat, we actually played really well. We passed the ball, were resilient in defence and showed a real attacking threat. We had 19 efforts to City’s three and were, for the fourth or fifth time this season, on the wrong end of a 1-0 smash-and-grab by the away side.

Nevertheless, we are still four points clear of the dreaded dotted line so our fate is still in our own hands, and if we can keep the level of performance as high as it was on Saturday (and the four games before it), we will have enough to beat the drop.

James runs the View From The Mainstand blog and NFFC Stats on Twitter.