Forest's Andy Reid shields the ball.
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Nottingham Forest maintained their grip on the play-off places with a sizzling
performance against fellow promotion hopefuls Norwich.
Darren Huckerby, Marlon Harewood, Gareth Williams and Jim Brennan were on
target as Paul Hart's men left the Canaries, in eighth spot, trailing sixth
placed by eight points.
Unchanged Forest shot out of the blocks early on as Canaries goalkeeper Robert
Green kept out Huckerby's effort from 25 yards in the first 90 seconds.
Five minutes later Harewood blazed over the bar with a right-footed volley,
but Forest deservedly took the lead when top scorer David Johnson beat the
offside trap from Jon-Olav Hjelde's free-kick.
The ball broke to Huckerby and the on-loan Manchester City striker fired home
his fifth goal in six games from close range after 11 minutes.
Midway through the half the rampant hosts were two goals to the good with a
well-worked set-piece after Harewood had been fouled by City full-back Adam
Drury.
Riccardo Scimeca swung in the resulting free-kick from the right and Johnson
flicked on for the in-form Harewood to head home his 11th goal in 10 games - and
his 19th of the season.
The Canaries were struggling to get out of their own half and were grateful to
Green just after the half hour when he held on to a fierce Huckerby drive.
Moments later the City shot-stopper watched Harewood's lob sail over the bar,
while City defender Malky Mackay got in a desperate block to deny Johnson just
before half-time.
City, who failed to carve open a chance in the first half, made an encouraging
start to the second and nearly pulled a goal back on 48 minutes.
Darren Ward kept out a shot from David Healy and saved Mark Rivers' effort on
the rebound, while midfielder Darel Russell headed too close to the Forest
keeper minutes later.
But Williams put the game beyond the reach of City with a 56th-minute
right-footed volley into the top corner for his third goal of the season.
City boss Nigel Worthington threw on Iwan Roberts and Paul McVeigh midway
through the second half, but the substitutions made no difference as the Reds
completed the scoring eight minutes from time.
Full-back Brennan played a one-two with Johnson and curled the ball into the
bottom corner from the edge of the box for his first Forest goal since joining
the club from Bristol City more than three years ago.
Teams
Nottm Forest Ward, Louis-Jean, Dawson, Hjelde, Brennan,
Williams, Scimeca, Reid, Harewood, Johnson, Huckerby.
Subs Not Used: Jess, Roche, Oyen, Doig, Thompson.
Goals: Huckerby 11, Harewood 22, Williams 56, Brennan 82.
Norwich Green, Nedergaard, Mackay, Bromby (Kenton 45), Drury,
Holt, Russell, Easton (McVeigh 73), Rivers, Healy,
Abbey (Roberts 68).
Subs Not Used: Emblen, Crichton.
Booked: Kenton.
Att: 27,296
Ref: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
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