A Kris Commons-inspired Nottingham Forest struck twice in five second-half
minutes to seal a crucial win against Preston at the City Ground.
Commons, in excellent form throughout, set up Paul Evans with a pinpoint cross
in the 77th minute before sealing the win with a delightful lob from all of 35
yards five minutes later.
Gary Megson's side were second-best for long periods against a Preston side
who mustered 16 corners in the match, but with Forest sitting second-from-bottom
in the Coca-Cola Championship table before the start of play, any win will do.
Preston goalkeeper Chris Day, signed on a month's loan from QPR, was called to
make the first meaningful save of the game after a tepid first 10 minutes,
tipping over a powerful free-kick from Forest forward Commons.
Preston responded immediately however, with the returning Eddie Lewis forcing
Paul Gerrard, back in the Forest side after suspension, into an equally
impressive save with a 20-yard effort.
The visitors soon began to dominate things as the half progressed, looking
very much a side pressing for promotion.
Chris Sedgwick was frequently left with enough room to send in dangerous
crosses from the right flank that begged to be converted, while Paul McKenna was
unlucky on more than one occasion from distance.
Commons looked Forest's only genuine threat throughout and was unlucky after
36 minutes with a 20-yard strike that went just over. A minute later the
21-year-old found space on the right, only to see his crashing drive superbly
tipped over by Day.
The second half started in a blizzard but the visitors started brightly, with
Lewis sliding in Richard Cresswell after 51 minutes but the Preston striker
miscued his shot straight at Gerrard.
But buoyed by a noisy home crowd, Forest began to create chances of their own,
with debutant David Friio growing in confidence in midfield.
Talismanic striker Gareth Taylor engineered an effort from 25 yards that Day
did well to push wide after 51 minutes and from the resulting corner, the Forest
skipper came close with a trademark header.
Megson appeared unhappy with what he was seeing however and sent on striker
David Johnson to spice things up.
And the tricky forward soon did just that, latching onto a hopeful punt
forward and rounding the advancing Day, who appeared to bring the striker down.
However Forest's claims for a foul were waved away by the referee, much to the
disgust of Megson and the Forest fans.
They were ahead in the 77th minute however when the lively Commons broke free
down the left before putting a delightful cross in which the advancing Evans,
only just introduced by Megson, gleefully nodded home.
Only five minutes later, the home crowd were cheering a second goal.
Predictably, Commons was at the heart of things, picking the ball up and from
all of 35 yards, planting a delightful lob right into the top corner and leaving
Day hopelessly stranded.
Teams:
Nottm Forest Gerrard, Morgan, Powell, Melville, Curtis,
Perch (Johnson 54), Friio, Doig, Rogers (Evans 54),
Commons (Thompson 90), Taylor.
Subs Not Used: Doyle, King.
Booked: Powell.
Goals: Evans 77, Commons 82.
Preston Day, Alexander, Mawene, Lucketti, Hill (Davis 86),
Sedgwick, McKenna, O'Neil, Lewis, Nugent (Agyemang 68),
Cresswell.
Subs Not Used: Neal, Davidson, Smith.
Att: 19,209
Ref: B Curson (Leicestershire).
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