Nottingham Forest 0-0 Barnsley (EFL Championship) 30.01.21

Nottingham Forest drew unimpressive blanks at the weekend as the small numbers of streaming subscribers that got to watch the Reds verses Barnsley live left their monitors frustrated but with optimism for improvement after the team signed James Garner from Manchester United on loan, late Saturday evening.

Forest couldn’t break down Barnsley who are having a solid season in the middle of the Championship but the Reds will take hope after a clean sheet and defensive display that will please Manager Chris Hughton, especially after the week previous when they let five goals in against Swansea City in the FA Cup.

The Reds best chance of the first half came when Anthony Knockaert decided to pass instead of shoot when through on goal, he laid to Lewis Grabban who made no mistake to score, but the linesman’s flag saved the Tykes from going behind.

In the second half Samba Brice was the Reds hero saving from Herbie Kane the best of his bunch and whilst a point is at least something to build on, the gap below the bottom three is now just three points with Rotherham United having two games in hand.

After the match, Manager Chris Hughton said “It was a tough game against a very direct team, they have a lot of physicality in their team and first and foremost you have to match that. From a defensive aspect I thought we did well to limit them to minimal half chances.”

He furthered “We did have clear chances. I think in any game there are going to be a percentage of chances and you have to hope that they are clear ones. We got the ball into some good areas that I wish we could have capitalised on a bit more.”

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Christie, Figueiredo (Mbe Soh 90), Worrall, Bong, Cafu, Sow (Bachirou 58), Knockaert (Mighten 87), Krovinovic, Ameobi, Grabban.

Barnsley: Collins, Sibbick (Sollbauer 64), Helik, Andersen, Brittain, Kane (Williams 86), Mowatt, Styles, Frieser (Adeboyejo 60), Woodrow, Chaplin (Morris 60).

Venue: City Ground

*Main image @NFFC Gaeten Bong battles in a draw at the City Ground.