- Hird (68 og), Garner (85)
- Heffernan (12), Woods, M (33), Wellens (45), Heffernan (65)
- Date:2008-12-26
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:City Ground
- Attendance:26501
- Referee:Dowd, P
Live Commentary
90mins
That's it, it's all over, the referee has blown the final whistle.
86mins
Brendan Moloney is booked for unsporting behaviour.
85mins
Goal!! Joe Garner scores for Nottm Forest.
84mins
Sam Hird is booked for unsporting behaviour.
77mins
The referee has booked Mark Wilson.
75mins
Lewis Guy is replaced by James Coppinger.
74mins
Arron Davies goes into the referee's book for dissent.
69mins
Brian Stock is replaced by Mark Wilson.
69mins
Doncaster are replacing James Chambers with Gareth Roberts.
68mins
Own goal, Sam Hird has put it in his own net.
65mins
Goal!! Doncaster have scored with Paul Heffernan putting it in the back of the net.
57mins
The referee has booked James Perch.
46mins
Nottm Forest are replacing Paul Anderson with Nathan Tyson.
46mins
Joel Lynch is being taken off, Julian Bennett has come on in his place.
46mins
The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 3.
45mins
Half time whistle is blown by P Dowd
45mins
Goal!! Doncaster have scored with Richie Wellens putting it in the back of the net.
40mins
The referee has booked Brian Stock.
35mins
The referee has booked Joe Garner.
33mins
Goal!! Doncaster have scored with Martin Woods putting it in the back of the net.
25mins
Nottm Forest are replacing Kelvin Wilson with Arron Davies.
12mins
Goal!! Paul Heffernan scores for Doncaster.
0mins
The ref has blown his whistle and the match has started.
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Match Report
Colin Calderwood was left fighting for his future again at Nottingham Forest, following a disastrous 4-2 home defeat at the hands of relegation rivals Doncaster Rovers.
Hapless Forest found themselves 3-0 down by half-time, as Doncaster made the most of their chances - and a few moments of good fortune - with goals from Paul Heffernan, Martin Woods and Richie Wellens.
The Reds may have produced more of a fightback in the second period, had they not found themselves reduced to ten men after 48 minutes, when Julian Bennett was injured after they had made all three substitutions.
Heffernan's second goal of the game had made it 4-0 in the 65th minute, but plucky Forest hit back through an Sam Hird own goal and a Joe Garner strike.
It had started brightly for Forest, with Robert Earnshaw seeing a fiercely struck drive deflected inches wide of the post following some superb build-up play between Brendan Moloney and Joe Garner.
But, while the home side had been firmly on top, it was a slip from Earnshaw that played a key role in Doncaster taking a 12th minute lead.
The striker gave away possession with a bizarre pass, giving Woods the opportunity to bend the ball towards the far post, where Heffernan stooped to plant a downward header into the back of the net.
It got worse for Earnshaw as, when it appeared he had been sent clean through by an incisive pass from Lewis McGugan, he miscontrolled at the vital moment, although the Welsh international did force a save from Neil Sullivan a few minutes later, with a stinging shot.
But it was Doncaster who were to extend their advantage, with another well-taken goal, with Woods lofting a delightful, unstoppable chip over Lee Camp from the edge of the box and into the back of the net in the 33rd minute.
And, by the time the half-time whistle blew, the Forest fans were furiously calling for Calderwood's head, as Doncaster - having scored two goals for the first time in a match this season - went on to get a third.
It was a questionable free-kick awarded against Chris Cohen, but Wellens was in no mood for sympathy, with his bending shot finding its way into the back of the net with the aid of a huge deflection off the defensive wall.
Forest's luck got worse straight after the interval, as they found themselves reduced to ten men.
Calderwood had made a double change at the break, bringing on Nathan Tyson and Julian Bennett. But, having already introduced Arron Davies in place of the injured Kelvin Wilson in the first half, Forest could not replace Bennett when appeared to injure his knee two minutes after the restart.
With the numerical advantage, it was no surprise when Doncaster added a fourth, as Heffernan converted the loose ball after Cohen had cleared a Spicer effort off the line.
But Forest were not finished themselves, with Tyson's dangerous ball across the face of the box deflected into his own net by Doncaster's Sam Hird.
And, after Earnshaw had hit the bar, Forest eventually forced a second as Garner cleverly flicked home a Cohen free-kick from close range.
Nottingham Forest Team
Doncaster Rovers Team
Nottingham Forest | Doncaster Rovers |
Corners
| 4 | 11 |
Fouls
| 10 | 11 |
Goal attempts
| 6 | 10 |
Shots off target
| 1 | 2 |
Offsides
| 1 | 9 |