Match Day Thread Nottingham Forest v PNE City Ground 30/1/2018

If it's a Tuesday early in the New Year then it has to be a romantic night next to the Trent watching North End as per usual get less than three points against Forest. Have not been on Saturday since about 2001 when Moyes was in charge(more of that later) So the usual East Midlands sight seeing night tour of the Brittania Stadium, the JCB fatory at Uttoxeter and that power station on the edge of Nottingham also throwing in the tour of West Bridgford before we actually eventually arrive at the ground. Saying that though for all the lack of positive results I've had at the place still think it's a great stadium.
Forest just below mid table seven points less than us, changed direction by sacking Warburton and replacing him with Aitor Karanka ex of Middlesbrough, decent appointment given that Forest seem to have a decent basis to build on. Some really decent young players such as Brereton, Osborn and Cash, also paid big money for Clough and have Dowell on loan from Everton. Also have some experience with Vaughan, Lichaj and Mancienne so like last season have probably underachieved again.
A couple of oddly memorable games the first was the 2 all draw under Craig Brown when Forest have been the only side I have ever seen wear numbers 1-11 after squad numbers were introduced and the Moyes game were we lost 3-1 was officated if that is the correct word by one Barry Knight, we ended the game with nine men after sending off two for retaliation after they had both been hacked down by Forest player one who was Jack Lester. Moyes was less than happy with Baz that day and were the thousand or so that had travelled.

Bit of Forest history

Nottingham Forest Football Club, often referred to as simply Forest, is a professional football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. Forest were founded in 1865 and have played home matches at the City Ground since 1898. They currently compete in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.

Forest were founder members of the Football Alliance in 1889 before joining the Football League in 1892. They have since mostly competed in the top two League tiers except five seasons in the third tier. Forest won the FA Cup in 1898 and 1959. Their most successful period was in the management reign of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor between 1976 and 1982. With Forest they won the 1977–78 Football League title followed by the 1979 and 1980 European Cups. They also won two Football League Cups at Forest together. After Taylor left Clough won two more League Cups and two Full Members Cups.

As for us we need to up the speed of our game simple as that play the two wingers closer to the main striker and we may get some joy although Forest will be better organised at the back then they were in the game at Deepdale in December.
Key to us would be the return of Pearson, no news on him will no doubt find out when the teams are announced. Not an easy venue to go to with a big month coming up need to make the most of it.
Add to that we have a pap ref as well


Stat Attack: Nottingham Forest

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We find ourselves on the banks of the River Trent to face Nottingham Forest only five weeks after meeting at Deepdale.

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Although Forest play at the City Ground, from our first contest in 1892 until 1898, we faced each other at their previous home, the Town Ground.

We have a decent league record against our hosts, taking points from 27 of our 45 games at both grounds, with 13 wins and 14 draws. Sadly for us, most of our success was in the early years of our rivalry and we have only won once in the last 11 fixtures.

That solitary win came courtesy of Pawel Abbott’s 36th minute goal and we have only managed two draws in the six matches since.
In the 1930s, we had successive wins by 4-2 then 4-1 but these did not complete eradicate the memories of Forest being the first of only four clubs to score seven goals against us in a league match. They achieved this feat in 1927 after going into half-time five goals ahead and running out 7-0 winners. There have been plenty of other goals over the years, with just a single goalless draw to date.

George Lyall is almost certainly one of the most northerly born players ever to appear in the EFL, being born in Wick on the far north coast of Scotland in 1947. George was brought to Deepdale as an apprentice and made his debut as an 18-year-old in 1966.

Renowned for a ferocious shot, financial troubles at North End saw him sold to Forest in 1972. By that time, he had played 119 times for the Lilywhites and had scored 19 goals. He spent four seasons at Forest and a further two with Hull City before playing for a number of well-known non-league clubs on the east coast, such as Bridlington Town and North Ferriby United.

Other players for both clubs include of course Joe Garner and Paul McKenna as well as Eric Jones and Frank O’Donnell from further back in time.

On This Date
John Barbour made the last of his 12 appearances for North End on this date in 1915, when he scored the only goal in a home win over Blackpool.

A Scot from Glasgow, John joined us from Dundee in the summer of 1914 and made his debut on the opening day of the season away at Grimsby. Although he only made a dozen appearances for North End, he is notable as he was killed on active service during the Great War having joined up later that year. He served as a lance corporal in the Highland Light Infantry and was killed at the Battle of the Somme on 15th July 1916.

Glen Johnstone, the father of Wembley Play-Off winner Sam, also a goalkeeper, made his North End debut 25 years ago on 30th January.


He was unable to help us claim the points as we went down 2-1 at home to Fulham. Glen’s full-time career was cut short by a knee injury the following summer, but he was able to return to non-league football, as well as continue his successful summer occupation as a cricketer.

Controversial Scottish midfielder Ian Davidson made his last appearance for North End on 30th January 1965. He made 78 appearances in two years after joining us from Kilmarnock in 1962, but it the game he missed that he is best remembered for.

Prior to the 1964 FA Cup Final, he was given permission to return home to Scotland, but he was then dropped for the final for disciplinary reasons that were never fully made public. His place went to 17-year-old Howard Kendall, making the youngest ever finalist at the time.

Last Five Games At The City Ground
Nottingham Forest 1 (Maxwell, og) Preston North End 1 (Makienok), 14th December 2016
Nottingham Forest 1 (Oliveira) Preston North End 0, 8th March 2016
Nottingham Forest 0 Preston North End 0, 24th January 2014
Nottingham Forest 2 (Konchesky, Cohen) Preston North End 2 (Nicholson, Jones), 22nd February 2011
Nottingham Forest 3 (McKenna, Adebola, McGugan) Preston North End 0, 19th December 2009


Ref Watch: Nottingham Forest

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Taking charge of his third Lilywhites game of the season, Geoff Eltringham will be the referee for our Tuesday night trip to the City Ground to take on Aitor Karanka’s Nottingham Forest.

Having officiated our early season game at Derby County, Geoff also took charge of the Boxing Day trip to Barnsley, so all three of his games this season will have been away from Deepdale thus far.

He also refereed one North End game last season, the home clash with our Barnsley, having also done one the previous season, the 1-0 home win over Reading.

The year prior to that he took charge of three PNE games, including the 2-0 home win over Peterborough United in March. The previous season he also took charge of North End twice, both of those at Deepdale - the 1-1 draw with Tranmere Rovers back in November 2013 and then the goalless draw with Sheffield United in March.

The County Durham official is an experienced referee who had taken charge of North End a number of times in the past including the very first game after the departure of Graham Westley, when John Dreyer took the team against an in-form Bournemouth side and ran out 2-0 winners.
He also looked after a thriller back in 2010, when North End overcame Crystal Palace 4-3 at Deepdale.

This will be the match official’s second trip to the City Ground this season, having refereed their 2-1 home defeat to league leaders Wolves back in September, one of his 20 games thus far, where he has issued just 73 cautions and one red card.

For the game, the referee will be assisted by Nick Greenhalgh and James Mainwaring – as he was on Boxing Day - whilst experienced official Andy Davies, who was our referee down at Millwall, will act as the fourth official.

 

A nice bounce back by the Lilywhites to trounce Forest 0-3. According to reports Barkhuisen played more like his old self. Some early scares but then the NE tightened the grip. You will have had a good night then, Mac?

 

Bob on there Barnet, once we scored they were never in it, match blog shortly

 

Nottingham Forest 0 Preston North End 3 (Bodin, Barkhuizen, Johnson pen)

Nottingham Forest line-up: Smith, Mancienne ©, McKay (Brereton, 62), Osborn, Fox, Cash, Dowell, Vaughan, Darikwa, Vellios (Ward, 77), Worrall. Subs not used: Henderson, Lichaj, Mills, Clough, Bouchalakis.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher, Earl, Pearson (Moult, 85), Clarke ©, Huntington, Barkhuizen, Gallagher (Johnson, 80), Robinson (Horgan, 88), Browne, Bodin. Subs not used: Maxwell, Harrop, Woods, Spurr.

Attendance: 22,044 (411 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr G Eltringham

Surprises in both team selections by the Trent last night, the home side left out Lichaj and higly rated Brereton and North End left out Hugill due to increasing transfer speculation as there was a probability he would not be in the right frame of mind, given the result Neil got it spot on.
We started well although Forest were dangerous on the break with Vellios going close twice, with Vaughan pulling the strings in midfield the home side pressed North End back, this lifted the crowd and it looked as though this could be a long night for the Whites, both Fisher and Earl had a tough time as Forest advanced down both flanks and actually looked a good side, we cleared a header close to the line from a corner and Clarke intercepted one dangerous ball into the box. At the other end Gally had two efforts one close and the other not so. Looked only a matter of time would come for the home side however on the half hour we were one up.
Mancienne dawdled on the ball Robinson won it off him and the ball ran free into the penalty area were Bodin beat Smith to the ball and chipped it over him into the net. Slightly against the run of play but wasn't complaining. From then on in traffic was mainly one way towards the Forest goal. Looked comfortable at half time withstood a slight bit of pressure from the home side before we started to camp in their half. The second arrived on the hour after more defensive mishaps, two Forest players got in each others way, we won a throw in which led to a corner, Gally took it Barky headed home, no more than we deserved.
Could have had more, Barkhuizen unlucky after a mazy run, Browne twice just couldn't get on the end of balls in the six yard box and Bodin twice in great positions could deliver the final killer pass.
As the rampage continued Forest fans started to leave and when Fox shoved Bodin in the box after again some woeful defensive work outside the area. Johnson took the kick sent the keeper the wrong way game well and truly over should really have had another penalty when Moult was pushed in the back in the area but little to complain about last night.
On Hugill interesting scenario don't want to see him go but wed actually look a better football team when we are not hammering the ball up to him.
Robinson played his role intelligently last night and had a really decent game, Bodin looks a good buy but they all played well last night.
Nottingham Forest boss Aitor Karanka told BBC Radio Nottingham:

"I feel embarrassed, I can understand the people today who left before the finish of the game.

"It's been a poor game, a poor performance but we have to keep going and feel confident.

"In the second half we looked like a team without soul, without spirit, and it's unbelievable that 10 days ago we played against Wolves [a 2-0 win] in that way."

Preston manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I thought it was a really good performance from Billy. I think for him, when a lad moves club, particularly from one part of the country to another, there's a lot of upheaval.

"He's moving his life, he'd moving home, he's coming away from his girlfriend or his parents and there's a lot of things to get in order, and it's like anything else, if you're not settled off the pitch then on the pitch you don't do as well as you usually would.

"Jordan came to the game, he watched the game from the stands.

"I had a chat with him before the game and said to him I'm removing you from the team because I think at this moment in time your mind's not going to be on the game as much as we require it to be."

Johnson penalty