Nottingham Forest 2 Sheffield United 1
Last summer Nottingham Forest were widely derided for making 21 signings. And then, last September, Serge Aurier became No 22.
It might seem an unlikely place to start. Since avoiding relegation Forest have attempted to strengthen again but Aurier was the unlikely catalyst behind Forest’s late victory over Sheffield United. He supplied Taiwo Awoniyi as Forest took the lead inside three minutes and another wicked delivery with a minute of normal time to spare allowed the substitute Chris Wood to head in a winner.
It all felt rather cruel on Gustavo Hamer, the Blades midfielder whose debut goal was magnificent but ultimately, in brutal terms, did no lasting damage. The thudding sound of the Forest faithful at full time as rain bucketed on to the pitch was truly something to savour.
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The last meeting between these sides, here 15 months ago, ended in a pitch invasion when Forest edged out United on penalties to advance to the Championship playoff final at Wembley at their expense.
That night, which culminated in red smoke billowing into the Trent air, belonged to Brice Samba, the then cult-hero Forest goalkeeper who saved three spot-kicks, one from Morgan Gibbs-White, now Forest’s latest luminary.
There were only seven survivors across the starting line-ups, three for Forest, four from United. Gibbs-White is the definition of a watchable player and a few minutes before half-time he wriggled clear of Anel Ahmedhodzic and then lifted a shot over, a crowd-pleasing moment.
Gibbs-White was involved in much of Forest’s good work, as was Aurier, who supplied Awoniyi for the striker to extend his prolific goalscoring run; dating back to last season, he has now scored in each of his past six league appearances. Brennan Johnson’s electric pace frightened United and he nudged the ball back for Aurier, whose first-time cross was inviting.
Awoniyi got between Ahmedhodzic and the United captain John Egan to head in from the edge of the six-yard box.
There was a touch of Bebeto in the celebration as Awoniyi toasted the birth of his newborn son, Isaac. Matt Turner, Forest’s new No 1, punched the air in front of the Trent End. With two minutes and 23 seconds on the clock, Forest were firmly in the driving seat. Could they build on it?
On 15 minutes Awoniyi surely would have converted another devilish cross from the right by Aurier, only for Ahmedhodzic to get a toe to the ball.
Gibbs-White combined with Aurier on the same flank and the former Tottenham defender sent the ball into the box. Awoniyi had run to the front post but Neco Williams was arriving towards the back and Ahmedhodzic again made a smart interception to sweep the ball clear.
Willy Boly and Joe Worrall, the Forest captain, threw their bodies on the line to block a rare United shot, from Ahmedhodzic, but the defender was soon ruled offside. Vini Souza, a £12m summer signing from Lommel, at least tested Turner with a curling shot and Egan should have done better after meeting a hanging Hamer corner.
Seven minutes into the second half Souza curled another right-foot shot narrowly wide of a post. United were a different proposition after the interval. Ahmedhodzic forced Worrall into a desperate block and Hamer’s equaliser was simply a thing of beauty. Scott McKenna’s headed clearance from a corner landed on the edge of the Forest box and from there Hamer, who tends to deal in the spectacular, trapped the ball and promptly caressed a graceful right-foot shot into the far corner of Turner’s goal.
The delirious visiting supporters behind the goal had some of the best seats in the house. Paul Heckingbottom, the United manager who was booked at half-time, was calmness personified and merely clenched his right fist in celebration. Suddenly the away fans had something to hold on to and they serenaded Hamer, a £15m arrival from Coventry last week.
Steve Cooper introduced Ryan Yates and Anthony Elanga from the bench with a little more than 20 minutes to play and shifted to a flat back four, with Williams at left-back and Aurier on the opposite flank.
Hamer’s goal galvanised United and Forest faded badly. Bénie Traoré, another United summer signing, had their best chance to earn victory on 78 minutes. McKenna and Worrall jumped to attack the same ball and Traoré feasted on the leftovers. Traoré dribbled towards goal with only Turner to beat but the Forest goalkeeper saved smartly down to his right.
Wood had been on for only six minutes but savoured his opportunity to make the difference. – Guardian
