Nottingham Forest 3-1 Huddersfield Town (EFL Championship) 28.06.20

Nottingham Forest eased to victory against lowly Huddersfield Town to move to fourth place in the Championship table thanks to goals either side of half time by Lewis Grabban and one from substitute Ryan Yates before a late penalty consolation from the visitors.

Huddersfield actually started the first half much the better of the two sides but despite their possession it was Sammy Ameobi with the best early opportunity as he hit the foot of the post following good work down the right from Lolley.

On fifteen minutes Pritchard tested the palms of Brice Samba with a curling free kick over the wall and the busy Terriers playmaker might have had a penalty a few minutes later when Watson looked to have brought him down inside the box.

On 20 minutes Ameobi cut inside from the right and tamely shot at Lossl before the Forest number nineteen slid in Brennan Johnson with a beautifully disguised ball only for the teenager to fire into the side netting.

As the half began to get niggly Huddersfield rekindled their foothold and a cleverly worked free kick slid in Karlan Grant who drilled across the face of the goal only for Sammy Ameobi to clear under his crossbar. That lead to a flurry of corners from the away side with Stearman going closest heading over under pressure from Toby Figueiredo.

On 38 minutes Forest had a chance from a corner themselves when a short worked set piece was crossed in by Tiago Silva to Ameobi who couldn’t divert his header goalwards but the deadlock was broken with just three minutes before half time when Joe Worrall crossed into the box from the left for Lewis Grabban unmarked at the back post to volley on the full thumping the ball past Lossl and into the net to put the Reds one up.

There was still time for Ben Watson to get an inevitable booking as Referee Webb continued to pick at every incident which certainly interrupted the flow of the half before a drilled in cross by Pritchard evaded everyone to the Reds relief.

As Huddersfield Manager Danny Cowley might have gone in at the break annoyed with the result a minute into it that may have turned to seething as Forest and Lewis Grabban all but put the game to bed. Grabban heading back to Ameobi who in return played in the on fire striker to run through and cooly slot home his 19^th of the campaign.

Huddersfield might have had an instant reply when Andy King headed on to the bar from yet another Town corner before another cry for a penalty went begging when Watson looked to have fouled O’Brien.

On 55 minutes Lolley did brilliantly down the left to set Ameobi through who’s quick feet dazzled the opposition defenders before blazing disappointingly high and wide.

Forest again went close when Yates headed over on the hour before Ameobi was (apparently legally)  caught by Smith-Rowe who sent Grant through who’s shot was well saved by Samba before being turned behind by Worrall.

On 62 minutes Grabban might have had his hat-trick but prodded wide when played in by Ameobi and on 65 it was Lolley’s turn after Grabban broke, the former Huddersfield winger shooting inches wide after the Reds centre forward was held up by the Town defence.

Substitute Bacuna warmed the palms of Samba from a long range free kick on 75 but it was Forest who fired next and made the game beyond doubt when Yates scored on 84. Lolley played in Carvalho who’s shot was turned behind by Lossl and from the resulting corner the Reds midfielder prodded home to put things well and truly to bed.

There was still time for late drama, Bacuna clipped Reds sub Da Costa with no intention of going for the ball to see red for himself before a tamely awarded penalty was hand given to the visitors in the fifth minute of injury time. Worrall adjudged to have pulled down Grant who tucked away with ease to inflict the only negative on a very positive day at the City Ground for Forest, a winning day on Manager Sabri Lamouchi’s 365^th in charge of the Reds.

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Cash, Figuereido, Worrall, Ribeiro, Watson (Mighten 90), Johnson (Yates 46), Silva (Carvalho73), Lolley (Bostock 90), Ameobi (da Costa 73), Grabban.

Huddersfield Town: Lossl, Duhaney (Bacuna 74), Stearman (Stankovic 70), Schindler, Toffolo, Hogg (Chalobah 60), King, Willock (Campbell 70), Pritchard (Smith-Rowe 60), O’Brien, Grant.

Venue: City Ground

*Main image @NFFC Lewis Grabban with two goals taking his tally to nineteen.