Source: Team_Talk
Forest chopped down at The Ricoh
Third-placed Forest dominated large periods against their midlands rivals, especially in the opening period, and missed a handful of chances throughout.[LNB]But Freddy Eastwood poached the only goal of the game from close range after 25 minutes to snatch all three points for a battling Sky Blues outfit who made much more of a contest of it after the break, and should arguably have added a second late on after a flurry of chances.[LNB]Having gone 19 league games unbeaten, it was Forest's second defeat in three and, with leaders Newcastle losing 3-0 at Derby, Billy Davies' side threw away the chance to move within a point of top spot.[LNB]But, having gone without a win in four, it is a much-needed victory for a Coventry side who have put more vital breathing space between themselves and the bottom three.[LNB]City's rearguard started in shaky fashion, with Keiren Westwood called upon to save well from Joe Garner after a quick free-kick caught his defensive line napping.[LNB]Indeed it was the visitors, playing some neat passing football, who dominated the opening 10 minutes.[LNB]Although the Sky Blues soon started to find their feet and Aron Gunnarsson sent a header over the crossbar.[LNB]Forest remained the more dangerous of the two sides in attack but it was the hosts who broke the deadlock midway through the first half.[LNB]Sammy Clingan fed Clinton Morrison with a quick set-piece on the left, he played the ball across the face of goal and Richard Wood's close-range effort was well kept out by Lee Camp but Eastwood was on hand to prod the rebound over the line.[LNB]Coventry centre-back James McPake almost sliced through his own net shortly after before Garner headed narrowly wide as Forest applied pressure in search of a quickfire equaliser.[LNB]For all of their possession and attacking endeavour, City were looking dangerous on the counter and Camp was called upon to turn Michael McIndoe's shot around a post.[LNB]And although the hosts had been on the back foot for most of the opening 45 minutes, they held firm to protect their slender advantage going into the break.[LNB]Chris Cohen's free-kick four minutes after the restart presented Guy Moussi with a great chance to level matters but he could only head wide.[LNB]Davies's charges were really putting Coventry under the cosh in the opening stages of the second half and the recalled Radoslaw Majewski was next to go close with a rasping drive from distance.[LNB]Nevertheless, the Sky Blues were still leading as the encounter approached the final quarter and Davies turned to Robert Earnshaw and David McGoldrick in a bid to force a leveller.[LNB]Referee Tony Bates then substituted himself due to injury, with female assistant Amy Fearn moving into the middle to take charge of the clash herself.[LNB]Coventry finally nullified Forest's threat as the game entered the final 15 minutes and should have grabbed a second themselves but substitute Gary Deegan and McIndoe both failed to find the net.[LNB]Yet it made no difference as the Sky Blues held on for victory.[LNB][LNB]
