Nottingham Forest 2-0 Bristol City (EFL Championship) 26.02.22

Nottingham Forest are back to within three points of the Championship playoff places after a comfortable victory at home to Bristol City.

The Reds started bright early-on against the Robins with Djed Spence from long-range forcing a good save by Bentley who tipped over on four minutes before Steve Cook acrobatically, was next to be denied by the away team’s goalkeeper just three minutes later, as Bentley this time got down low to stop the former Bournemouth defender netting his first Forest goal.

Brennan Johnson had an effort off target after good work by Keinan Davis on the half hour but that was just a sighter for the young Welsh International, Johnson drilling home an effort past Bentley’s near post on 38 to give the home side the lead.

Davis might have made it two but for more Bentley heroics ahead of half time, the former Southend United shot stopper Bristol’s best player in a first half which Forest largely dominated.

That domination was rewarded further just ten minutes into the second half when James Garner made it 2-0 after Lowe and McKenna combined well down the left-hand side to cut back for the Manchester United loanee to finish first time.

Forest might have made it three to put more icing on the cake when Zinckernagel pinched possession high in the City half but he was denied again by Bentley on 76 with the day getting worse for the visitors late on, having made all their substitutes, Klose hobbled off and Bristol ended seeing out the match with ten men.

The win leaves Forest in ninth on 51 points just four below sixth placed Luton who beat Derby County. Steve Cooper’s men next face a trip to Sheffield United on Friday night with the Blades themselves two points and two places above the Reds.

Nottingham Forest: Horvath, Worrall, Cook, McKenna, Spence, Garner (Cafu 87), Colback, Lowe, Zinckernagel (Yates 82), Johnson, Davis (Surridge 74).

Bristol City: Bentley, Dasilva, Kalas, Klose, Pring (Cundy 46), Scott, Williams, Weimann, Massengo (James 64), Semenyo, Martin (Wells 58).

Venue: City Ground (28,506)

*Main image @NFFC James Garner celebrates his goal with Brennan Johnson.