Hull City 1 Nottingham Forest 2: match report
HULL City wasted a golden opportunity to pull clear in the Championship's automatic promotion race when surrendering a lead to lose 2-1 at home to Nottingham Forest this afternoon.
The Tigers had been on course for a fifth straight home win when George Boyd struck late in the first half to provide a slender advantage, but Forest produced a stirring response as second half goals from Darius Henderson and Lewis McGugan helped them snatch all three points.
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Gedo reacts after missing a sitter in the dying moments of Hull City's 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest.
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George Boyd hooks the ball in to put Hull City ahead against Nottingham Forest
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Hull City's George Boyd celebrate by making a glasses gesture to Nottingham fans. But Forest had the last laugh.
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George Boyd celebrates his goal in Hull City's 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest
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George Boyd celebrates his goal in Hull City's 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest
It was the first time in Steve Bruce's reign that City had scored the opening goal and lost, and the Tigers' first home in the league since losing to Sheffield Wednesday in mid-January.
Only a 1-0 defeat for third-placed Watford at Barnsley offered any sort of consolation for Bruce, but Crystal Palace can jump up to second with a win at Brighton tomorrow.
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The Championship's stand-out fixture, with second-placed City playing host to an in-form Forest side, lived up to its star billing from the outset.
Robbie Brady's free-kick into the side netting had supporters celebrating prematurely as early as the second minute, while both Boyd and Robert Koren kept goalkeeper Karl Darlow busy with early efforts.
A rejuvenated Forest, chasing their sixth consecutive win under Billy Davies, also had their chances. Adlene Guedioura hit a low drive that David Stockdale did well to save but the busy Simon Cox fired horribly over from the rebound.
City continued to press in search of an opener and saw Jack Hobbs' header from Ahmed Elmohamady's cross tipped over by Darlow, and within a minute Gedo was denied by the same figure when connecting well with Brady's deep centre.
Another good chance fell to Gedo when Boyd's flick carved open the Forest defence, but the Egyptian striker could not add to his impressive tally at the KC when dragging wide.
City's bright half appeared set to go unrewarded until Boyd popped up with a moment of magic in first-half stoppage time.
A deep corner was kept alive by David Meyler and when Darius Henderson failed to clear, Boyd was on hand to hook an inventive effort over the static Darlow and into the back of the net. The on-loan forward needed no encouragement to mock the 3,000 travelling supporters, who had earlier chanted "he's only got on eye" in reference to his failed medical at the City Ground in January, when celebrating his goal with imaginary glasses.
Boyd lapped up the sense of occasion and almost grabbed a second five minutes after half-time.
Exchanging passes with Gedo down the right channel, a pull-back was met sweetly but against the back of covering defender Elliott Ward.
Just as Forest's threats had begun to look minimal, they were level in the 55th minute. A break down their left flank brought a cross from Radoslaw Majewski, turned on to the bar by Cox. City's relief was short-lived, though, as Henderson pounced to slide in the rebound.
Forest's equaliser invited a wobble from the Tigers and Cox was again close when failing to latch on to Danny Collins' header back across the goal.
City recovered, however, and twice gave their visitors a scare. Stephen Quinn's low shot was kept out by the legs of Darlow, before Brady, whose drilled shot had brought about the chance, came within a whisker when curling a free-kick wide of the post.
The game begged out for a winner and it duly came from the left foot of McGugan five minutes from time.
A scrappy exchange in the City box saw Billy Sharp turn Dexter Blackstock's knock-down across goal and McGugan, who had only been on for 13 minutes as a substitute, showed a cool head to fire through the legs of Stockdale.
City still had two wonderful opportunities of their own to rescue something from the game. Brady's free-kick against the bar was agonisingly close to a leveller, before Chris Cohen cleared Jay Simpson's follow up off the line. The same misfortune struck Alex Bruce minutes later when his towering header was cleared by Henri Lansbury.
Forest were eventually able to cling on for a sixth consecutive win and deal the Tigers' automatic promotion hopes a cruel blow heading into the international break.
• Gallery: Hull City v Nottingham Forest in pictures
32 Comments
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by JONIB
Monday, March 18 2013, 10:09AM
“Thought Forest were one of the best teams I've seen at the KC this year and will at least make the playoffs.
They were physically strong and could play a bit. Our back three struggled with their big lad up front and our midfield was out muscled at times, which brings me to the conclusion that you can't play Koren and Quinn in the same midfield against teams like this
We could have won it, but a draw would have been a fair result. We've nicked games this year that we shouldn't have, so take this as a balancer.”
by YorkshireMike
Monday, March 18 2013, 7:06AM
“Another hopeless referee who was inconsistent and did nothing about the time wasting until right at the end when he gave their keeper a yellow card and a team with a goal keeper pulling off great saves otherwise we would have got at least a point.”
by Swannyred
Sunday, March 17 2013, 1:01PM
“We have played worse than that and won, and will again. Things just seem to go for you when you are a form team, as Forrest are. On another day, one or two of our near misses would have gone in. Lets hope we don't play any more teams on a good run. I agree about the noise level at the KC though, 3 thousand away fans shouldn't out shout 15 thousand or more home fans, no matter where they are in the ground. Mind you we seem to do it against fc in the debies lol. UTT.”
by merlin_
Sunday, March 17 2013, 1:01PM
“Unlucky with the rub of the green in front of goal but you have to be in the right place to miss and I don't have the slightest issue with Gedo's so-called fluffed chance. Waggy missed chances but just scored on the next. Not a problem.
One of the worst referreing performances I have seen in years. He failed to stamp any authority on the match and allowed Forest a farcical leeway with pushes, dodgy tackles and even wrestling. Throw in a failure to play advantage and you have a dire exposure of the lack of quality when it comes to officials.
Yet it wasn't entirely an unfair result. Forest played well on the day and employed the right tactics. They edged us on desire and sheer will to win. Technically we were streets ahead player for player with a couple of exceptions. I had Elmo as man of the match with an awesome performance.
Another blip unfortunately but not one that concernes me too much. Its going to be dog eat dog from now on. A photo finish certainly on the cards. All to close to call. If it were on skill I think we's be top of the pile, but promotion is about more than that - as was exposed against Forest.
The bugle blows. Advance and conquer. Time for the hand to hand stuff now. A right old battle. One we can win with the right attutude and leadership. My money is on our flag flying high come the last whistle.”
by merlin_
Sunday, March 17 2013, 1:01PM
“Unlucky with the rub of the green in front of goal but you have to be in the right place to miss and I don't have the slightest issue with Gedo's so-called fluffed chance. Waggy missed chances but just scored on the next. Not a problem.
One of the worst referreing performances I have seen in years. He failed to stamp any authority on the match and allowed Forest a farcical leeway with pushes, dodgy tackles and even wrestling. Throw in a failure to play advantage and you have a dire exposure of the lack of quality when it comes to officials.
Yet it wasn't entirely an unfair result. Forest played well on the day and employed the right tactics. They edged us on desire and sheer will to win. Technically we were streets ahead player for player with a couple of exceptions. I had Elmo as man of the match with an awesome performance.
Another blip unfortunately but not one that concernes me too much. Its going to be dog eat dog from now on. A photo finish certainly on the cards. All to close to call. If it were on skill I think we's be top of the pile, but promotion is about more than that - as was exposed against Forest.
The bugle blows. Advance and conquer. Time for the hand to hand stuff now. A right old battle. One we can win with the right attutude and leadership. My money is on our flag flying high come the last whistle.”
by merlin_
Sunday, March 17 2013, 1:00PM
“Unlucky with the rub of the green in front of goal but you have to be in the right place to miss and I don't have the slightest issue with Gedo's so-called fluffed chance. Waggy missed chances but just scored on the next. Not a problem.
One of the worst referreing performances I have seen in years. He failed to stamp any authority on the match and allowed Forest a farcical leeway with pushes, dodgy tackles and even wrestling. Throw in a failure to play advantage and you have a dire exposure of the lack of quality when it comes to officials.
Yet it wasn't entirely an unfair result. Forest played well on the day and employed the right tactics. They edged us on desire and sheer will to win. Technically we were streets ahead player for player with a couple of exceptions. I had Elmo as man of the match with an awesome performance.
Another blip unfortunately but not one that concernes me too much. Its going to be dog eat dog from now on. A photo finish certainly on the cards. All to close to call. If it were on skill I think we's be top of the pile, but promotion is about more than that - as was exposed against Forest.
The bugle blows. Advance and conquer. Time for the hand to hand stuff now. A right old battle. One we can win with the right attutude and leadership. My money is on our flag flying high come the last whistle.”
by tiggerjack
Sunday, March 17 2013, 11:22AM
“I will take 8 boring scrappy 1 nils right now. Forget all the pretty stuff. Its the business end of the season now and results is everything. It doesn't matter if we are playing the prettiest football or the most boring, most of the glory fans aren't coming to watch anyway. We are down to the hard core of fans that really want to support the tigers. So just grind results out.
Just watch the goals conceded in the past half dozen away games when Alex Bruce is playing and then look at yesterdays goals. I am telling ye folks nepatism at work and it is costing us dearly. Jack hobbs is the Central defender of 3 NOT Alex Bruce. I worry also when Faye is in there as he tends to command the aerial battles but is susceptable to pace. When a physical team play us ala Wednesday, Forest they took control of midfield by sheer brute force. But if our midfield are to far up field then our defence is exposed. Which is what has happened quite often in the past few weeks. Win the battle win the match. The Billy Davis Phylosophy.”
by tiggerjack
Sunday, March 17 2013, 11:10AM
“Dave i said Gedo was woeful in front of goal yesterday. He is a class player but panicked when it come to the main job today. Everything else was spot on.”
by qualitychap
Sunday, March 17 2013, 11:09AM
“While were all very disappointed with yesterdays result,its all still to play for,i thought forest had the better of the midfield battle,but over all it was a very even game and with the chances at the end,city should have had a draw.
but we are conceding to many goals,and we rarely score at set pieces,the defence seems tighter when Mcshane plays and also Faye is very strong and good in the air and also can score with headers,i do think Alex Bruce is now looking suspect.
once again i question the football supporters of Hull and East Yorkshire,only 16.700 home supporters ? do we really deserve premiership football ?
also the atmosphere was very tense yesterday,but city fans have to make more noise to help the team,particularly the library which is the huge west stand,having said that forests large support was very quiet untill they scored.
1 worrying thing about city,is they rarely beat a team in the top 6,this has to be addressed,if we are to gain automatic.
palace are the real danger,they have a potent strike force,hoping for a Brighton win.UTT.”
by peewil
Sunday, March 17 2013, 10:06AM
“A disappointing result. This just goes to show how competitive the championship really is. No team is going into a game confident of a win. City had the chances yesterday but sometimes it doesn't work out. Another day City would have won by a couple of goals. I still think the attacking play is looking much better since Gedo and Boyd have come in. I think the midfield area is looking too open and giving opposing teams too much space to work the ball forward. But Watford slipped up as well. City's best chance of promotion would be by an automatic place. Going up through the playoffs could be too difficult. Looking at the run in matches City look to have a similar set of games to Palace. Whatever happens we can be sure that City will keep us on the edges of our seats until the final game.”