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COVENTRY City made it four wins from their last five games at the Ricoh Arena and handed Forest just their second defeat in their last 23 games Championship clashes thanks to a solitary goal from form striker Freddy Eastwood. The Welsh international could hardly have missed on 24 minutes when a good City move presented him with the ball just feet away from the Forest goalline to smash home the opener. Joe Garner was the first to test Keiren Westwood in the Coventry City goal, his shot from just inside the City area forcing Westwood into a solid stop with his legs after six minutes. The Sky Blues gradually settled though and began playing the better of the football, nearly going ahead after 15 minutes when a good piece of play down the right flank earned them a free kick, Sammy Clingan's delivery finding Aron Gunnarsson whose header popped up and just over the bar. Their good play paid off when Eastwood smashed home the opener following good flank work from Clinton Morrison and an initial effort from Richard Wood. Morrison turned Gunter on the left flank and whipped in a low ball which pased through three bodies before reaching the outstratched leg of Wood, his effort stopped on the line by Forest 'keeper Lee Camp with Eastwood on hand with the easiest of finishes. Paul Anderson drew a few gasps for Forest on 28 minutes with a semi-overhead kick which went just wide and Garner headed wide on the half hour following a bout of head tennis from a corner. More good play from the Sky Blues drew a good save out of Camp nine minutes before the break, Morrison holding the ball up with his back to goal before laying off to Eastwood who in turn teed up Michael McIndoe for an acutely angled effort which Camp palmed away for a corner. Guy Moussi was out of the blocks early in the second half for Forest with a long range effort that never troubled Westwood's goalmouth. They went much closer after 49 minutes though when an inswinging free kick from Chris Cohen lon the right was bundled just wide of Westwood's post. Radoslaw Majewski went close four minutes later with an effort that deflected off a stray boot and dipped just over Westwood's bar. He went close again on the hour with an ambitious shot that went wide but still forced an acrobatic dive from Westwood to make sure. The Sky Blues went on the counter attack straight after, a long ball from Westwood brought down by Morrison who pulled the ball into the path of Eastwood whose resulting shot went over the bar. Gunter went close on 66 minutes with an inadvertent cross which looked like it was going high and well over Westwood's bar only for it to come back down and make the City 'keeper tap it over his crossbar for a corner. The game witnessed a Football League first on 70 minutes when starting referee Tony Bates was forced off with a calf injury, making way for Amy Fearn to take his place and become the first female to referee a Football League match. Morrison nearly punished James Perch on 79 minutes when a bounce beat the left back allowing Morrison to fire a half volley just wide of Camp's far post. Substitute Gary Deegan came within a foot of his first goal for the Sky Blues with four minutes to go following a superb sweeping move. Fellow sub Carl Baker did well to win the ball in midfield before finding Eastwood on the overlap who laid the ball back to Baker. Baker's first time through ball the found Deegan who lashed his shot into the side netting. McIndoe tested Camp for a second time in injury time, his 30-yard effort forcing the Forest 'keeper to parry the shot away from goal. But the Sky Blues did not need a second goal despite seven agonising minutes of injury time they managed to see out solidly.
Attendance: 18,225 (3,483 away) Teams Coventry City: Westwood, Wright (c), Cranie, McPake, Wood, Gunnarsson (Deegan 62), Clingan, McIndoe, Bell (Baker 79), Eastwood, Morrison Nottingham Forest: Camp, Morgan, Wilson, Anderson (McGoldrick 71), Garner (Earnshaw 67), Cohen, Gunter, McKenna (c), Moussi (McGugan 76), Blackstock, Majewski |
