Match Report

Resurgent Nottingham Forest registered their fourth consecutive victory as Billy Davies secured his first win at the City Ground as Reds manager.

The Scot had masterminded a debut win at Charlton last weekend and followed it up with another three points on home soil as struggling Plymouth were sucked closer to the relegation battle at the bottom following a 2-0 defeat.

The visitors were comfortably out-classed by a Forest side that could have secured a bigger winning margin than the one given to them through goals from Robert Earnshaw and Paul Anderson either side of half-time.

But the points were enough to lift them even further away from the relegation zone in the Championship and continue the encouraging start under Davies.

Plymouth could have snatched the lead from an early corner as Marcel Seip glanced a header narrowly the wrong side of the post.

But Luke Chambers and Nathan Tyson both threatened for Forest with headers at the other end as the home side steadily built momentum.

Wes Morgan had to bravely throw his body in the way of a fiercely struck volley from Craig Noone, but it was Forest who were dominating and it was no shock when they took the lead in the 24th minute.

A foul on Earnshaw earned the home side a free-kick wide on the left and when Lewis McGugan delivered a pacey cross towards the edge of the six-yard box, Earnshaw lifted a volley high into the back of the net.

McGugan almost netted another as he bent another free-kick narrowly over the bar as Roman Larrieu looked on helpless.

But the keeper did make an outstanding save on the stroke of half-time, getting down quickly to palm away an instant shot from Earnshaw after McGugan's vision had again carved out an opening.

Forest suffered a scare as Rory Fallon sent a decent chance spinning into the side-netting early in the second half.

But they soon stamped their authority on the game as they added a second goal in the 51st minute.

Tyson's pace was the driving force as he burst down the left before delivering a low cross to the far side of the penalty area where Anderson was arriving to drive a skimming shot across goal and into the bottom corner.

Plymouth responded through substitute Emile Mpenza, who forced a smart save from Smith with a crisp low shot.

But Forest pushed again with Earnshaw sending a fizzing volley inches wide of the post and McGugan bringing a capable save from Larrieu with a swerving effort and then almost chipping the keeper with a clever lob that the Frenchman just managed to pluck out of the air.

Forest should have had a third when Anderson let fly with a powerful drive just inside the box, with Larrieu unable to hold - only for Tyson to fail to connect with the rebound.

Seip was unlucky not to pull one back late on for Plymouth as he looped a header against the bar, but Forest rarely looked like letting victory slip from their grasp.

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides