Forest 2:0 Scunthorpe

Well, that was a lot better.

The crowd was a bit quiet, especially in the first half, but there was an air of tension in the ground. Not over the opposition, more a Forest knack of following a good result with a poor performance, a knowledge that the three points gained at Plymouth would stand for nothing with another home defeat a few days after. The players were going to have to lift the crowd for this one, not the other way round.

The first half came and went, a few Forest chances, especially from the numerous early corners we forced, but a packed Scunthorpe midfield kept control of the game. They like to pass the ball about and looked a decent side, but weren’t going to get anything out of the game with only Jonathan Forte up front on his own. A bloke on the tram on the way to the ground told me he was a County fan (I wonder whether he’d have volunteered that piece of information a year ago) and had been at Lincoln the night before. He assured me Forte was, and I quote, “f***ing crap”. Who needs Alan Hansen when you’ve got cutting edge analysis like that ? Saying that, Scunthorpe should stay up easily playing decent football like they do.

A strategic switch in the second half saw McGoldrick on for the no-lack-of-trying Joe Garner. A bit of subtlety was what was required and McGoldrick can deliver. Still the breakthrough didn’t come, but unlike Forest teams over the last few years, they stuck at it, didn’t revert to long ball gubbins and eventually the reward came. Another well delivered corner right on the head of an on-rushing Luke Chambers. Simple, effective and a clear sign that Forest are improving as a team. The second wasn’t long in coming, a low drilled cross from Anderson that Dexter Blackstock will claim as his, but actually could have come off anyone. But, who cares ?

Lady Luck still had a chance to shine as a Forte chance was touched onto the post by fellow spectator Lee Camp before he himself turned to retrieve the rebound. On several other days over the last two seasons, it would have rebounded in off his head.

So, a decent performance, better in the second half, sustained pressure against a none too shabby Scunthorpe side. Another win to follow the ‘job done’ Plymouth TV bore-a-thon, another three points and a good chance to extend the haul at Peterborough on Saturday.

But an award has to go to the bloke (I’m assuming it’s a bloke) who controls the electronic scoreboard. As the game was on a Wednesday, there was only one other Championship latest score to flash up at half-time, Newcastle surprisingly losing 0-1 to QPR, but hang on, what’s this ? Another latest score ?

Cardiff 6
Derby 1

Genius !!