Nottingham Forest 2-3 Bournemouth (Premier League) 03.09.22

Nottingham Forest surrendered a two goal half time lead to lose against AFC Bournemouth as the Reds crash to a third successive Premier League defeat following a disappointing performance at the City Ground.

If recent weeks has been a celebration of the Garibaldi returning to the top flight, Saturday afternoon had an air of nervousness and tension around the packed stadium, a game Forest were expected to win, one they needed not to lose, in the end Steve Cooper’s side achieved neither.

It started well enough. Forest took the lead when a Morgan Gibbs-White corner was headed home on 33 minutes by Cheikh Kouyate.

Things got even better on the stroke of half time when a shot by Neco Williams was charged down by Lloyd Kelly, adjudged to have hit his hand inside the area, Referee Michael Oliver immediately pointing to the spot.

A long delay sent the decision via VAR back to Oliver who went to his monitor in front of the Brian Clough Stand, swayed by a few fans shouting in red perhaps, Oliver stuck by his guns in awarding the penalty.

Brennan Johnson finally getting the chance to step up and dispatch his spot kick calmly for a 2-0 lead at the break.

Bournemouth made a change in personnel and formation ahead of the second half, and that immediately put the away side on the front foot. Forest sloppy, not knowing to stick or twist, Jesse Lingard caught in possession with the ball falling to Philip Billing on 51, he blasted in a goal to remember, top corner from twenty plus yards out, the away sides tails up after their half time rollicking from temp Manager Gary O’Neill.

After more pressure, the equaliser came when Solanke acrobatically looped in following a corner, a goal on the 63rd minute, the Cherries thinking perhaps they could even go on to win it.

And win it they did, late on a sloppy piece of defending by Scott McKenna who left his back pass short for Henderson, Solanke running onto before squaring to Jaidon Anthony who had the easiest of finishes, a woeful outcome for Forest fans to endure in a disastrous 45 minutes that saw the smell of victory end in dismal defeat.

In truth, despite the two first half goals only one side side deserved to win, Bournemouth showing the spirit and belief that Nottingham Forest now need to show over the next few weeks, as they aim to bounce back after what has been a tough tough week of learning about Premier League football.

Leeds United next at Elland Road, it won’t be easy, it never is, Forest will need to scrap harder next than ever to get much needed points on the board as they bid to stay out of the relegation fight, at the moment the Reds are very much in the scrap with those at the foot of the table.

Nottingham Forest: Henderson, Worrall, Cook, McKenna, Williams, Yates, Kouyaté (Colback 76), Lodi, Lingard (Awoniyi 67), Gibbs-White, Johnson (Dennis 85).

Bournemouth: Neto, Smith, Mepham, Kelly, Zemura (Fredericks 46), Tavernier, Cook, Lerma, Christie (Anthony 85), Billing (Moore 90), Solanke (Stacey 90).

Venue: City Ground (28,720)

*Main image @NFFC Morgan Gibbs-White in action for Forest.