Nottingham Forest boosted their play-off hopes with a dramatic victory over
in-form Blackburn Rovers.
Forest had to play second fiddle for long periods against a Blackburn side out
to clinch an automatic promotion spot at the end of the season.
But the hosts scored from two of their three goal attempts in the 90 minutes
to register their first home win over Rovers in more than 20 years.
Blackburn were so much in control in the first half they looked very much like
the home side, but they failed to carve out any clear-cut openings to capitalise
on all their possession.
Rovers were made to pay in the second half, with Forest skipper Chris
Bart-Williams turning the game on its head.
In the 52nd minute, he curled a delightful free-kick past the Blackburn wall
and beyond goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
Blackburn manager Graeme Souness sent on new signing Eyal Berkovic and Matt
Jansen, but in the 66th minute Forest dramatically snatched another goal with
only their second attempt.
Bart-Williams was again at the heart of things, curling over a free-kick to
the far post and defender Christian Edwards powered in a header for his first
goal for the club.
Blackburn could hardly believe what had happened, but by now Forest had got a
new belief in their ability to win the game.
There was a late flurry from the visitors and Jansen showed great skill before
pulling a goal back two minutes from the end after threatening to do so 60
seconds earlier.
But it was too late for Blackburn to prevent them slipping to their first
league defeat since November, leaving Souness mystified as to how his side had
failed to capitalise on their first-half domination.
Teams:
Nottm Forest: Beasant, Bart-Williams, Edwards, Scimeca, Olsen,
Prutton, Andy Johnson, Brennan, Benali, David Johnson,
Jones (Harewood 75).
Subs Not Used: Roche, Hjelde, Williams, John.
Booked: Andy Johnson.
Goals: Bart-Williams 52, Edwards 66.
Blackburn: Friedel, Curtis, Berg, Taylor,
McAteer (Gillespie 70), Flitcroft, Dunn, Duff,
Mahon (Berkovic 56), Bent, Hughes (Jansen 56).
Subs Not Used: Filan, Short.
Goals: Jansen 89.
Att: 22,455
Ref: A Bates (Stoke on Trent).
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