Nottingham Forest 1-2 Bournemouth (EFL Championship) 14.08.21

Nottingham Forest were disappointingly beaten for the second time in the Championship this season with another 2-1 loss in the league this time at the hands of Bournemouth.

The Reds made three changes to the opening weekend defeat at Coventry City with a debut for Arsenal loanee Jordi Osei-Tutu coming in for the suspended Gaeten Bong whilst Toby Figueiredo and Philip Zinckernagel started in place of Loic Mbe Soh and Alex Mighten after both appearing off the bench for them at the Ricoh.

In a half edged by the visitors, Zinckernagel hit an early free kick over the crossbar for Forest before Samba saved at the feet of Billing at the other end, David Brooks breaking the deadlock on 28 after playing a lovely one-two with Dominic Solanke to finish neatly into the corner. More than what Bournemouth deserved.

Forest pushed with a Lolley effort blocked but Bournemouth always looked a handful on the break, Brooks again the danger man shooting wide of the mark.

With six minutes to go until half time Ryan Yates produced the home sides best effort with a rasping drive that hit the inside of the post, the Cherries despite the better of the two sides, relieved to go in at half time with a lead.

That relief didn’t last long into the second half for Bournemouth Manager Scott Parker and his men, the home team quickest out of the blocks after a half time rollocking by Chris Hughton and a Zinckernagel free kick was headed home by Scott McKenna for his second Reds goal after the Scottish international lost his market to level things up on 48.

Forest however weren’t level for long as ten minutes later Philip Billing raced down the left to finish past Samba but David Brooks was then sent off for a second yellow card after pulling back Osei-Tutu leaving Bournemouth down to ten men with a good half hour to play.

Substitute Alex Mighten did his best to get Forest back on level terms running into the box before blazing over on 78 and in the final minute Zinckernagel fired a shot saved by Tavers, the Reds best opportunities to earn a point, but it wasn’t to be as Bournemouth held on to all three on the road whilst Forest in the league are now zero from two played.

After the match, Manager Chris Hughton stated he was disappointed, saying “We showed glimpses in the game of good quality and there were some decent performances, but we conceded two really soft goals. If you give a team with quality players that they have their moments they will hurt you and that’s what they did.”

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Gabriel, Figueiredo, McKenna, Osei-Tutu, Colback (Carvalho 83), Yates, Zinckernagel, Lolley (Mighten 68), Johnson, Taylor (Grabban 76).

Bournemouth: Travers, Mepham, Rossi, Kelly, Zemura, Marcondes (Davis 81), Kilkenny, Billing, Brooks, Solanke (Saydee 90), Anthony.

Venue: City Ground (25,035)

*Main image @NFFC action from the City Ground.