Millwall 0-1 Nottingham Forest (EFL Championship) 15.01.22

Yet again a late Lewis Grabban goal gave Nottingham Forest a second successive one-nil win after the Reds repeated their impressive feat in the FA Cup against Arsenal last week to secure maximum championship points at the Den.

It wasn’t the prettiest first half in South East London with Forest largely second best against a tough and awkward Millwall side who directed by Manager Gary Rowett opted for largely a no-nonsense approach to getting the ball inside the opposition box.

Afobe testing Samba early-doors before Joe Worrall haltered a Lions attack by sliding out a dangerous looking cross with the hosts busy and positive inside the opening ten minutes.

Reds loanee Keinan Davis did well to get a shot off on 23 which was well saved by former Notts County goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski before Ryan Yates went through on the stroke of half time also to be denied by the Polish shot stopper.

In the second half, Forest transfer target Jed Wallace had a shot deflected wide for Millwall and Thompson had a shot blocked by Worrall after good work from Bennett as the hosts searched to take the lead.

Forest carving out their best opportunity on 72 which sparked a good spell in the game for the Reds as Johnson picked out Grabban who’s shot was well saved by Bialkowski.

As the game wore down and Millwall tired, further chances for Forest came when Johnson struck from inside the box a shot deflected inches wide before more opportunities for Cook, Yates and Grabban before the best of the rest was missed on 79 by Zinckernagel, the substitute blazing over from inside the area when he should have hit the target.

At the other end Afobe fired over with just four minutes on the clock as both sides searched for the winner with Forest in two minds to stick or twist, the Millwall striker was then denied brilliantly by Brice Samba on 89 and deep into injury time as Forest attacked for one last foray, the ball fell to Lewis Grabban inside the area with the Reds top goalscorer making no mistake this time, a winning goal against his old club, Grabban converting from six yards out to send the away fans wild and give Steve Cooper’s Forest team another dramatic late win.

A superb away performance and even more ‘smash and grab’ than the previous weekend’s famous affair at the City Groun, the Reds defence again marshalled by the trio of Worrall, McKenna and Cook, standing up to everything thrown at them, with the club captain at the other end doing what he does best.

Next up for Forest is the small matter of ‘in form’ Derby County. Wayne Rooney’s side have won four of their last five league games but are still second bottom in the table after a 21-point deduction for well documented financial breaches. The Rams will head to a sell out City Ground on Saturday still needing eight points to get out of safety, whilst a win could take Forest to within two points of the playoffs.

Millwall: Bialkowski, Cooper, Hutchinson, Wallace, McNamara, Evans, Mitchell, Malone, Ojo (Thompson 46), Bradshaw (Bennett 27), Afobe.

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Worrall, Cook, McKenna, Spence, Yates, Garner, Colback, Grabban, Johnson, Davis (Zinckernagel 73).

Venue: The Den (13,297)

*Main image @NFFC Lewis Grabban again scores a late winner for Forest.