Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Nottingham Forest (EFL Championship) 01.05.21

After securing their status in the Championship for another season last week, there was much pre-match hype on Nottingham Forest still having a say on the relegation race as they took on Sheffield Wednesday who needed desperate points in a bid to catch Derby County in their own race for survival.

After an edgy start to the game, the best chance of the opening ten minutes came when the home team counter attacked a Forest free kick and Harris shot straight at Samba on the break.

Much of the first half was tense, slow paced and lacklustre with both teams sloppy in possession, Wednesday arguably the more comfortable of the two as Harris looked to get the better of Christie down the left wing, Bannan orchestrating for the Owls in midfield on his 250^th club appearance.

Wednesday however, like Forest were poor in the final third, the Reds defence dealing with everything comfortably before Forest themselves created their first real opportunity on 40 minutes when Krovinovic slid his shot across the face of goal.

As the half looked to be going into the break as stalemate, a terrible error by Adam Reach who headed back to his goalkeeper Kieran Westwood who rushed out and collided with Anthony Knockaert gave Forest a surprise opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot, but Lewis Grabban stepped up, shot low to the keepers left and the Irishman was equal to it, keeping it out with a wonderful save to ensure the half ended scoreless.

Grabban might have made amends just four minutes into the second half when Borner passed back short, sending the Forest striker on his way, from a tight angle he rounded the keeper but could only hit the side netting.

Wednesday pushed themselves back into the contest but looked nervy with limited opportunity, substitute Jordan Rhodes was picked out at the back post but couldn’t head on goal before Windass shot early on 70 from an acute angle which nearly caught Samba out, the Frenchman diving to his left to save and flick acrobatically over the bar.

Forest might have had claim for another penalty when substitute Mighten was wrestled to the ground by Paterson, Referee Robinson who had already booked the defender was unmoved. Wednesday went up the other end and might have had a claim themselves for Ribeiro on handball, but Forest then spurned another opportunity as Garner couldn’t twist his shot from ten yards towards goal.

As the later stages came into play the home side unsure whether to stick, or twist were largely no threat to a Reds defence again well marshalled by the centre back pair of Joe Worrall and Scott McKenna. Neither side doing enough to win the match, whilst Forest playing out their season with another point to their tally, Wednesday will now need look elsewhere in their bid to stay in the division.

Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood, Paterson, Palmer, Hutchinson, Borner, Reach, Pelupessy, Bannan, Harris, Green (Rhodes 56), Windass.

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Christie, Worrall, McKenna, Ribeiro, Cafu (Mighten 66), Yates, Garner, Knockaert, Krovinovic, Grabban (Taylor 74).

Venue: Hillsborough

*Main image @NFFC Barry Bannan and Ryan Yates do battle in a goalless draw.