City 1 Forest 0
City were deserved winners of the fans' favourite local derby, although few would claim that it was a classic.
The timing of the clash, immediately following the loans deadline, meant that much of the pre-match banter concerned new arrivals: Bednar and Kirkland for City, Ramsey for Forest. In the event, Bednar make his City debut, but a minor injury to Kirkland delayed his and Ramsey made a fairly anonymous appearance as substitute.
The first half was largely dull. A comparison with the previous home match against Derby was informative. On that occasion the visitors pressed hard whenever City attempted to pass the ball around in their own half. That forced City to get the ball forwards quickly, and gave them the space in which to do it – and City looked a far better team for it.
Perhaps, then, credit should go to Billy Davies for the way Forest started the match. They sat back and simply let City pass it around (they also wasted time at every available opportunity, so seemingly a draw was all they aspired to). So, for the first 20 minutes City passed the ball around a lot, and nothing much else of substance happened. It was no surprise that the few chances that came were to Forest, typically started by City losing possession. Forest's attacking plans boiled down to long angled balls for their wingers to chase, and one these resulted in a free header for Adebola, another in him volleying over from three yards….
City won a free kick very close to where Gallaher scored from against Forest last season, but this time his shot merely hit the wall. This was followed quickly by a further free kick, floated in well by Cunningham, from which two City shots were blocked at short range, the first on-the-line by a Forest defender, the second by the keeper, Camp.
The huge striker, Adebola, went off through injury after 36 minutes, bringing on the diminutive but quick Earnshaw. That coincided with a change in the shape of the match, with City beginning to get the upper hand. That momentum was almost cruelly disturbed, though, when a dreadful back header left Earnshaw one-on-one with Weale, but thankfully the angle was a testing one, and the keeper got out to make a good save at the striker's feet.
Largely, however, as the half came to a close, City began to look a bit more purposeful with their passing, creating a good break for Vassell who was crudely tripped on the edge of the box for a clear "professional foul" yellow card.
There were no substitutions at half time but, thankfully, City came out like a different team. Wellens (Sky TV's man-of-the-match) appeared to take a position about 20 yards further forwards than in the first half, and acted as a lynch-pin for numerous City attacks. From the 45th to the 70th minute, Forest barely got a touch of the ball – certainly not one that resulted in any sort of goal threat, anyway.
City created a lot of chances and half-chances. Bednar had looked willing in the first half, but had not really connected with his team-mates (understandably after only a few days with the club). Now he looked like an accomplished, big target man: holding the ball up well and chasing seemingly lost causes.
Vassell came into his own too. He has the endearing and sometimes annoying ability to dribble with the ball at his feet far longer than he ought to (does anyone remember Charles "Charlie" Charles, the black & white Arsenal player from the Harry Enfield show a few years ago? Never mind, I digress …). In the first half this resulted in City loosing possession almost every time.
In the 59th minute, he did it again, and I admit the words "what the hell is Vassell doing" (or similar) had formed in my mouth when he chose to put his head down and run through seemingly the whole Forest defence … but this time it worked. He crossed the ball from the by-line and King had the simplest of tap-ins from a couple of yards out: 1 – 0 to City, and very much deserved based on the balance of play.
Bednar and Vassell now began to link up well, and the City dominance continued. Ramsey came on as sub for Forest. It was good to see such a talented prospect fit again, but he had little impact on the game. Vassell was substituted after just over 70 minutes, with Dyer replacing him. Forest began to have more of the play, with one very firm shot from the edge of the box dipping nastily before being parried clear by Weale.
After 80 minutes, Howard replaced Bednar. Bednar is huge! Even Howard looked small beside him as they shook hands on the touchline. It took a while for him to get going, but it was a decent first performance by the new striker.
A few minutes later, Howard should have doubled the score when good work on the right led to a cross which found City players queuing up to shoot: Howard's firmly struck effort was parried by Camp – one of the many good reflex saves made by Forest's most impressive player.
Forest fashioned a couple of half chances. Gallagher was replaced by Waghorn with one minute remaining, presumably because Gallagher had the whole width of the pitch to walk to get to the bench, wasting useful seconds. But, for once, City looked comfortable holding the lead, and it was they who dominated the three minutes of added time before the final whistle went – to the delight of the City crowd and players.
It was a good performance by City, once they had warmed up. The young full backs were strangely quiet going forwards, perhaps wary of the threat that Forest's wingers could make on the counter-attack. Indeed, as almost all of Forest's few impressive moments were when one or other of the City back four advanced too far and City lost possession, the more negative approach by the backs was probably appropriate.
For some reason, I do not share the complete hatred for Forest of many/most lifelong City fans (I blame their phenomenal European Cup exploits happening at an impressionable age for me). So, I would like to think that my views of their performance in this game are fairly balanced: they were very, very disappointing.
They slowed the game down at every opportunity, they looked genuinely lacking in ideas in the second half, and almost every time they tried to play the ball around their defence, they ended up panicking and conceding possession. I don't doubt that they can and will play better than this, but tonight City played well – without being outstanding – and thoroughly deserved the three points and (temporarily at least) local bragging rights.
City: Weale, Naughton, Davies, Hobbs, Cunningham, Abe, King, Wellens, Gallagher (Waghorn 89), Bednar (Howard 80), Vassell (Dyer 72).
Subs not used: Logan, Morrison, Oakley, Fryatt
Forest: Camp, Bertrand, Chambers, Morgan, Gunter, Cohen (Ramsey 61), Moussi, McGugan (Tyson 68), Anderson, Adebola (Earnshaw 36), McCleary.
Subs not used: Smith, Wilson, Tudgay, Majewski.
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation