2020 and the new decade started disappointingly for Rovers after they fell to a tight 3-2 defeat away at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest, as the home side continued their charge towards the playoffs whilst Rovers began to see their push fade away with results going against them elsewhere.
Tony Mowbray – who was donning his blue and white scarf this game – came into the first game of the new decade with four changes made to the side that suffered Rovers’ first defeat in eight games, away at Huddersfield Town by a 2-1 scoreline. Amari’i Bell who was making his 250th club career appearance, Corry Evans, Adam Armstrong and Ben Brereton who was making his 50th career appearance, against his former club, came into the side as Bradley Johnson, John Buckley, Sam Gallagher and Danny Graham all departed to the bench.
With around 883 Rovers fans stashed away in the Bridgford Stand, it was their side who started the first game of 2020, as the away side – who were in their grey away kit – took the kick-off. The optimistic Rovers fans came into game hoping that their side could rebound from Sunday’s surprising defeat and restart a new run of form that could see them squeeze back into the playoff picture.
Rovers started the livelier of the two sides as just after three minutes of play, Corry Evans slid Adam Armstrong through down the right-hand side. The forward, who scored in the corresponding 1-1 draw at Ewood Park against the Reds, did well to beat his man before cutting inside and tried his luck from range, however his shot was well-blocked by the Forest defence.
Three minutes later, Forest had their first opportunity of the game as Matty Cash’s delivery bounced out to Samba Sow who tried his luck from range, however the Malian’s effort steered wide of the mark as Rovers earnt a goal-kick.
On the 9th minute, Joe Rothwell tried his luck with a strike from 25-yards out in order to replicate last campaign’s Goal of the Season that occurred in last season’s 2-1 victory at the City Ground, however the midfielder’s effort lacked the dip his previous shot had, as the ball sailed over the bar.
Forest’s second opportunity of the game fell to the hosts seven minutes later as Sow again had an opportunity to score his first goal for the hosts since joining from Dynamo Moscow in the summer. He rose highest in the box to connect with a Tiago Silva corner, however Sow’s effort – like his strike – veered wide of the mark.
The increase in pressure by the hosts soon found the breakthrough after 22 minutes were played. Joe Lolley – who scored the equaliser back at Ewood Park in October – picked up the ball on the right-hand side of midfield before trying to send in a left-footed cross towards Lewis Grabban in the penalty area. Disastrously for Rovers, they seemed bamboozled by the cross as the defenders and Christian Walton failed to assert authority as the cross curled inwards and nestled just inside the left-hand post as Lolley and Forest erupted in delight of their unexpected 1-0 lead.
Things soon went from bad to worse for Rovers as only three minutes after going 1-0 down, Forest soon managed to double their lead within 180 seconds as Christian Walton hacked down Lolley to give Forest only their second penalty of the season. The 25th minute spot-kick saw Lewis Grabban step up and duly dispatch the effort into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, as Forest extended their lead to 2-0, courtesy of Grabban’s 13th of the season, which, strangely enough was only his second goal at the City Ground all season.
Just after play was restarted, Forest made their first change of the game on the 27th minute following a knock to Chema Rodríguez. The former Levante defender had seemingly picked up an innocuous injury during the opening stages of the game and was unable to continue. In his place came former Liverpool full-back Jack Robinson.
As the break approached, Rovers were determined to grab a goal back before the whistle was blown, and that’s what they did on the 39th minute as Stewart Downing managed to bag his 50th career league goal with a wonderful first-time finish from just behind the penalty spot. Rovers worked the ball over to the right-hand side as Armstrong picked up the ball and drove inside, before cutting it back to Downing who hit a left-footed effort, first-time, into the top left-hand corner of the goal to reduce the deficit to 2-1, as Brice Samba was left rooted to the spot.
The away side’s tails were up after the goal as they burst forwards on the 43rd minute hoping to level the scoring before the break. Downing picked up the ball and lofted it into the path of Evans who was making a gut-busting run beyond the Forest defenders. The run and pass were perfect to avoid any calls for offside; however, Evans’ finish did not match the build-up as Samba managed to deny the Northern Irish international with a save via his legs.
Before referee Darren Bond called for the end of the first-half, he called for an extra three minutes to be added on by his fourth official, however despite Samba Sow being shown a yellow card for fouling Ben Brereton, neither side were able to create an opening prior to the break, which was called for just prior to a Forest free-kick near their own corner flag.
As both sides entered their respective dressing rooms for their half-time team-talks, there would have been a familiar theme of encouragement flowing round the tunnel at the City Ground.
Home manager Sabri Lamouchi would have been praising his players for their fast start to the game, especially against a Rovers side who before this tie, had scored nine of their 32 goals inside the opening 15 minutes of games. The Algerian boss would have been disappointed that his side had given Rovers a way back into the tie, however given Forest’s current form which has seen them win their past two games, Lamouchi would have been expecting his side to finish the job in the second period.
Tony Mowbray in the opposing dressing room would have also been encouraged with how his side had reacting following the calamitous opening half-an-hour that he had witnessed from his side. The Rovers boss would have been satisfied with his side’s attacking efforts, however would have been vividly disappointed with the manner the Forest goals were scored, given they could be stripped down to individual mistakes, rather than tactical or officiating errors.
The game was soon restarted in the second-half by Forest who took the kick-off in the hope that they could extend their lead and secure the much-needed points they required to break back into the playoff picture.
The 50th minute saw Rovers try and snatch an equaliser as Downing’s cross to Evans saw the holding midfielder knock the ball down into the feet of Armstrong who couldn’t convert from close-range.
Three minutes later, Rovers again tried their luck, this time from a corner, as Darragh Lenihan rose highest in the box to connect with Downing’s corner, however despite penalty appeals from a few Rovers players, Lenihan’s effort ballooned over the bar.
Despite Rovers’ early second-half pressure, Forest managed to restore daylight between the two sides as Lewis Grabban grabbed – excuse the pun – his third home league goal of the season and his 14th of the campaign on the 55th minute following some outstanding wing-play by the assister to the goal, Sammy Ameobi. The former Bolton Wanderers winger picked the ball up on the left-hand side on the turnover of possession and burst down the left in order to initiate a counter-attack. Downing was the only player with the winger, but that wasn’t enough as Ameobi used his instincts and natural pace to send Downing one way with a body feint before jinking past him in a flowing motion that left the veteran behind as Ameobi flew forwards. The winger did well to then deliver an accurate cross towards the back-post which saw Grabban peel off the back of his marker, before coolly guiding a header beyond the reach of Walton and into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 3-1.
On the 63rd minute, Grabban again had the ball, this time down the left-hand channel of the box after he intercepted a leggy pass by Downing. The forward did well to get beyond Elliott Bennett before sending in a low cross towards Ameobi in order to repay the favour. Unluckily for winger, he couldn’t get the goal his earlier assist deserved as the ball sped past his outstretched leg and fell into the lap of Bell who cleared to safety.
The 65th minute saw a double change made by Rovers as Sam Gallagher and Harry Chapman were introduced in-place of Ben Brereton and Lewis Travis.
After a cross by Joe Rothwell saw Sam Gallagher harmlessly head wide with his first-touch, Forest made their second change of the game as on-loan Benfica man, Alfa Semedo was brought on to replace the booked Samba Sow.
Rovers’ luck seemed to have turned on the 70th minute when they were handed a lifeline by Nottingham Forest’s defender, Joe Worrall. A quick free-kick by Bell into Rothwell saw the midfielder cross from the left-hand side, towards the back-post, into Elliott Bennett whose touch back across goal saw Worrall be the unlucky man who turned the ball into the back of his own net, as he offered Rovers another lifeline, as the scoreline became 3-2.
Tony Mowbray reacted to that goal by sending on Danny Graham in-place of Elliott Bennett, in Rovers’ final change of the afternoon, as Darragh Lenihan took over the captaincy duty.
On the 80th minute Rovers earnt a free-kick after Ben Watson hacked down Joe Rothwell on the edge of the Forest penalty area. Stewart Downing stood over the set-piece, but his cross was collected by Samba.
Four minutes later, Harry Chapman whipped in a corner which Samba could only gather at the second attempt, after initially dropping the cross.
60 seconds later, Adam Armstrong glanced Downing’s header over the bar from just outside the six-yard box.
The final Forest change of the game on the 87th minute saw Albert Adomah introduced as the first goalscorer Joe Lolley departed.
Forest were awarded a free-kick on the 89th minute which Tiago Silva stood up to take. The Portuguese’s effort was good, however not good enough to defy Walton, as the ‘keeper tipped the ball over the bar before Rovers dealt with the subsequent corner.
As the final whistle approached, referee Darren Bond allocated an extra four minutes of time onto the end of the game which saw little to no chances as the final act of the game before the game was brought to an end saw Amari’i Bell booked.
Whilst the performance was arguably better overall than in Sunday’s defeat, no excuse can be given to the manner in which the first two Forest goals were scored, and fingers will certainly be pointed towards Christian Walton by some fans, on both occasions. Although Rovers displayed more of a fighting spirit in this game than they did after going behind in Yorkshire, one would be forgiven for feeling disappointed or ‘scared’ of a potential plummet by Rovers, given the events of last season from February onwards. One positive that Rovers and Tony Mowbray can claim is that the bi-weekly games now disappear for a number of weeks, which gives Rovers the time to nurse some injuries and get the players back to full fitness before going again for their games. Additionally, with the transfer window now open, it gives Mowbray the opportunity to strengthen his ranks and continue to ‘build the club’ to his liking as Rovers try to steer their season back on track.
With that defeat in the history books, Rovers’ league position looks less attractive than it did on Christmas Day. The Blues now find themselves 13th with 36 points and a neutral goal difference of zero after 26 games played.
Speaking of the upcoming games, a break from the league is taken next week as Rovers travel down to Birmingham City’s St. Andrew’s Trillion Trophy Stadium, to face the Blues in the FA Cup on Saturday 4th January at 12:31pm. Following that tie, Rovers return to Ewood Park for another Lancashire Derby as out-of-form Preston North End are the visitors on Saturday 11th January at 3pm. After that clash, the Blues are back on the road as they travel to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday 18th January, also at 3pm.
