Birmingham City 2-1 Nottingham Forest (EFL Championship) 01.02.20

Nottingham Forest missed a massive opportunity to go within a point of the automatic promotion places today after being beaten by Birmingham City at St Andrews.

The Reds took an early lead through Tiago Silva and might have doubled their advantage before half time when a penalty awarded for handball was taken by Grabban only to be saved by former Forest goalkeeper Lee Camp.

A minute later debutant Scott Hogan following his move across town from Aston Villa punished the Reds penalty miss in the biggest way possible by delivering his new club a goal that levelled things up with the winning goal coming in the 74^th minute as Kristian Pedersen ended Sabri Lamouchi’s sides six game unbeaten run.

It all started well for Forest when Tiago Silva raced into the box before cutting onto his right foot to smash powerfully into the roof of the net to give the away side the lead on 18. The Reds were then awarded a penalty when Ribeiro whipped the ball in left footed across the face of goal and as the ball struck Josh McEachran’s arms the appeals went up and the Referee took an age before eventually awarding the spot kick which Grabban stepped up to take before placing to the keepers left at a nice height for Camp to parry away.

That instantly lifted the roof off St Andrews and the Blues went up the other end with Bela crossing deep to the tall Jutkiewicz who nodded back into the six yard box where Hogan was to pounce and level things up at the break.

Birmingham came out stronger in the earlier exchanges of the second half and another teasing ball into the box this time by McEachran found Jutkiewicz again who headed wide when he should have done better.

Moments later Lewis Grabban himself should have done better put through but to blast an effort high and wide when the Birmingham arms went up for offside. An even bigger chance for Grabban occurred on 63 minutes when he poked towards goal from a corner only to be cleared off the line.

For Grabban it clearly wasn’t his day.

The Blues forced a save out of Samba when Bela’s shot was pushed away before the home side grabbed a winner on 74 minutes when a Birmingham corner was headed towards goal and with an almighty scramble Pedersen stuck out a toe for the ball to creep between Samba’s legs.

A bad day at the office for Forest who must take heart that despite the defeat they are still very much in the promotion race.

Birmingham City: Camp, Colin, Dean, Clarke-Salter, Pedersen, Bela, Gardner, McEachran (Sunjic 61), Bellingham (Maghoma 79), Hogan (Roberts 84).

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Cash, Figueiredo, Worrall, Ribeiro, Watson, Yates (Semedo 70), Lolley, Silva (Walker 76), Ameobi (Diakhaby 61), Grabban.

Venue: St Andrews (20,837)

*Main image @NFFC Matty Cash taking on the talented Jude Bellingham at St Andrews.