Report from NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1-2 HULL CITY as Reds fall to second straight defeat

Nottingham Forest slipped to their second successive defeat after Hull City won a pulsating game 2-1 at the City Ground on Tuesday night.
Matty Cash scored Forest's goal.Matty Cash scored Forest's goal.
Matty Cash scored Forest's goal.

Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi, who was criticised for this team selection in the defeat to Wigan at the weekend, fielded a stronger line up this time out with Chema Rodriguez, Joao Carvalho, Tiago Silva and Lewis Grabban all returning.

It was Hull who had the game’s opening chance inside the second minute. Jarrod Bowen received the ball on the right and bent a timid shot wide of Brice Samba’s far post.

The hosts then had an attack of their own with midfielder Joao Carvalho seeing an effort deflect wide for the first corner of the game.

In the 19th minute, Hull’s Jon Toral forced Samba into a diving save with a shot that lacked power but still tested the Reds’ stopper.

It was a fairly even opening to the game and Grabban had a decent opportunity for Forest, dragging a shot wide from the edge of the box.

Hull then should have taken the lead in the 30th minute. Kamil Grosicki picked out Bowen free on the right of the Forest area but the wide man was only capable of firing straight at Samba.

Two minutes later, Grabban could have put the Reds in front but he failed to keep his header down after meeting Joe Lolley’s corner.

The opener finally arrived in the 38th minute and it was Hull who deservedly got it. Callum Elder got down the left and he pulled the ball back for Toral who saw his effort clip striker Josh Magennis, directing it past Samba in the process.

Hull went into the break ahead and they almost doubled their advantage immediately after the restart. Grosicki’s dinked effort found Bowen who stung the palms of Samba.

Seconds later, it was 2-0 and Bowen had his goal. Toral broke from midfield and he slid the ball across to the unmarked Bowen who fired across Samba and into the bottom corner.

Forest needed a goal, and quick, and it arrived in the 53rd minute. Matty Cash charged forward from right back and after his attempted pass was deflected back to him, he poked it into the bottom corner from a central position.

After the hour mark came two big moments involving referee Oliver Langford. In the 66th minute he waved away big appeals for a Forest penalty after Sammy Ameobi went down following a tangle of legs in the area.

Langford then went from villain to hero two minutes later as he showed Hull forward Magennis a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Ben Watson.

Forest almost took immediate advantage as Lolley delivered a ball into the box for Tiago Silva but he could only flick a header wide of the target.

The hosts continued to pile the pressure on and Silva forced Long into a smart save from a free kick before Ryan Yates, on as a sub for his first appearance of the season, flicked the resulting corner agonisingly wide.

Hull were penned into their own area with Forest having wave after wave of attacks but the visiting defence stood firm and secured all three points.

FOREST XI (4-2-3-1): Samba (GK); Cash, Worrall, Chema, Robinson (Mir 80’); Watson ©, Silva; Lolley, Carvalho (Yates 61’), Ameobi (Adomah 73’); Grabban

SUBS NOT USED: Muric (GK), Figueiredo, Johnson

HULL CITY XI: Long (GK), Lichaj ©, de Wijs (Tafazolli 64’), Burke, Toral (Balogh 73’), Grosicki (Honeyman 73’), Bowen, Elder, Magennis, Irvine, Da Silva Lopes

SUBS NOT USED: Ingram (GK), Stewart, Eaves, Bowler

REFEREE: Oliver Langford

ATTENDANCE: 27,624 (690 away)

FOREST MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Matty Cash