Nottingham Forest 0-1 Fulham (EFL Championship) 07.07.20

Nottingham Forest were beaten by fellow promotion pushers Fulham at the City Ground in what was a disappointing performance that all but mathematically ends any slim hopes the Reds have of going up automatically this season.

A single Harry Arter goal on the stroke of half time was enough to separate the two sides with Fulham moving to third in the table with the Reds now looking over their shoulders in the playoff race with four games to play.

In wet conditions Trentside it was actually a lively start to an otherwise poor game with both sides playing to a fast tempo early-doors. Joe Lolley was first to try his luck after six minutes when he struck from range harmlessly wide of Rodak’s goal before a succession of Fulham corners was well dealt with by the Reds defence.

Forest might have had a fortuitous goal from their own corner when a left footed Lolley inswinger on 14mins was flicked by Fulham defender Ream onto his team-mate Bryan and inches wide of the post. Ream then slipped in possession allowing Grabban to race at goal but his tame shot bobbled through to Rodak whilst under pressure from covering defenders.

On 25 minutes Forest might have had a penalty when Ameobi’s cross hit Odoi on the hand to no avail before the visitors had their first opportunity when Bobby Decordova-Reid picked up the ball deep and struck from 30 yards a looping shot inches over.

As the half wore on the game became more niggly with Josh Onomah picking up a booking after an altercation with Samba Sow. In stoppage time the overlapping Matty Cash clipped a ball in from the right wing which Lewis Grabban couldn’t direct goalwards before a long throw in by Cash caused chaos with Rodak dropping under pressure.

As it looked to be heading all square into the break Harry Arter received possession and slipped as he passed the ball which bounced off Watson and back to Arter twenty yards from goal. The Irishman taking full advantage of the ricochet back to him by unleashing an unstoppable drive into the roof of Samba’s net. If Arter got lucky with how the ball fell, he certainly made no mistake in putting Fulham one up.

Forest made two changes at the interval with Yates and Da Costa on for Sow and Lolley but it was the away side who shown immediate intent in the second half with Kebano getting to the bye-line before crossing straight into the arms of Samba. The Reds had a flurry of corners but nothing more than a tame header on 65 minutes from another long Cash throw in launched into the box before two more substitutes combined as good work by Diakhaby was followed by a speculative effort from Semedo which Rodak held comfortably.

Ribeiro blazed over when Semedo and Watson could have chosen to shoot themselves before pulling back to the Forest left back and at the other end Bryan drove wide after a corner was conceded unnecessarily by Figueiredo.

Fulham sub Knockhaert shot at Samba on 78 and from the resulting clearance Da Costa couldn’t head over Rodak at the other end as he ran on to the Forest goalkeepers punt and with ten minutes remaining Matt Cash crossed from the right only to see the ball flicked inches wide by a Fulham defender.

As the away side sat deep during the final few moments and looked to see out the game, Forest couldn’t break down a stern defence and in the end it was comfortable Fulham victory with neither side really in full flow as they both looked content with simply seeing the game out to its close.

Whether the two sides will meet again is a question that will remain but on this showing, the Reds wouldn’t fancy taking on Fulham in the playoffs over two legs, as the Cottagers looked good in possession and comfortable in defence against an attack that sometimes huffed with very little puff.

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Cash, Figueiredo, Worrall, Ribeiro, Sow (Yates 46), Watson (Mighten 85), Silva (Semedo 64), Ameobi (Diakhaby 57), Lolley (Da Costa 46), Grabban.

Fulham: Rodak, Odoi, Hector, Ream, Bryan, Arter (Johansen 71), Reed, Cavaleiro, Onomah, Kebano (Knockaert 70), De Cordova-Reid (Le Marchand 87).

Venue: City Ground

*Main image @NFFC Sammy Ameobi crowded by Fulham defenders.