Forest's 2-1 come back leaves Cherries down in fourth

Match Description

Nottingham Forest 2 v 1 AFCB

25 February 2015

Attendance: 20,637 (including 618 AFCB fans)

Having seen their league position slip to fourth this week, AFCB really needed a result against a Nottingham Forest team that have found themselves under Dougie Freedman. AFCB may have shown Forest a hard time in the first half but they still came in at half time 2-1 down. Andrew Surman had put in a great curling shot to give the Cherries a flying start but all the good work was wiped away by more failings to stop corners and free kicks. It was another match where the Cherries had promised much but allowed Forest to get back into the game and hold out.

Eddie Howe surprised everyone by making three changes to the AFCB starting 11. In came Adam Smith, Ryan Fraser and Brett Pitman. Yann Kermorgant suffered a family bereavement in the week and missed the game while Charlie Daniels was rested and Marc Pugh and Matt Ritchie moved to the bench. It was perhaps a bit of a risk to bring in that many players, but the team needed fresh legs and a jolt try and get them back to winning ways. It was time for some of those players who had been missing out on start to come to the fore and show that the Capital One results were no fluke. While Ritche had been a doubt with a leg strain after the Brentford match it was a shock to see Marc Pugh on the subs bench having scored and played okay at Griffin Park. Most fans will have been pleased to see Rantie on the bench though.

Jason Tindall with the team news.

Match Description: Listening to Willo and Kris Temple on BBC Radio Solent

The Cherries are in their blue kit tonight. Burke is running at Smith and gets a cross in but AFCB have a free kick. Adam Smith has the ball on the left. Gary Gardner clips Smith and AFCB have a free kick. Fraser tried to get on the ball quickly but it has to be retaken.

Ritchie has a shot that is deflected behind for a corner. Darlow has to tip the ball away from Elphick's header. Surman curves the ball in from 25 yards! Just two minutes gone 0-1. Left footed curler - Darlow no chance. Pitman now gets another corner off of Lichaj.

Fraser deep to Francis and Forest clear the ball for a throw. Wilson gets his first touch and now Surman to Smith. Past Burke and Lichaj defends. The Cherries have a free kick as Wilson is fouled. Fraser to take on 6 minutes. Ritchie, deflected and wide! Another corner.

It's taken short. Surman square to Fraser and Elphick and Fraser crosses and it is headed clear and Lichaj gets the ball up to half way. Ritchie has Francis outside him but it's headed away. Adam Smith and a shot from Fraser is saved by Darlow down to his right.

Darlow kicks the ball at Wilson! Wilson has the ball and shoots wide. It was a goal keepers kick out that went horribly wrong. Lucky escape for Darlow.  Fraser now and Pitman Lascelles makes a clearance. "Total domination of the ball," by the Cherries says Willo. 

Lansbury catches Fraser late on half way. Lichaj heads the ball away on the left wing. Cook puts the ball out by mistake. Forest now. Chance for Lansbury but a poor delivery and Boruc catches the ball. Smith wins a header. Lansbury and Osborne onto Fox and Antonio running at Francis and looks for Blackstock. The ball is back on half way now.

Fox back to Gardner. Smith is caught and wins a free kick. Forest have the ball. Lichaj and Burke back to Lichaj around Fraser. Cook misses his clearance and Antonio can't capitalise. Down the right with Francis and Lansbury clears to Francis. Surman plays it too strong through to Darlow.

Cook wins the ball and Ritchie gets possession. Smith misses his tackle and Chris Burke wins a corner. Osborne to take. It is at the back post with Lascelles but cleared to Osborne. Antonio and Ritchie gets a toe in and Lascelles shoots and wins a corner thanks to the assistant ref. Boruc punches away. Osborne and Pitman slides in for another corner.

It's been smashed in by Laschelles! Blackstock had the first go and Lascelles had the next go from 14 yards and it flashed past all the AFCB players - 1-1. "AFCB's tendency not to hold onto a lead strikes again," says Kris Temple. 21 minutes gone.

Ritchie plays a ball to Fraser and he is blocked by Lichaj. Wilson challenges Gardner and Anotonio is offside. AFCB give the ball away. Blackstock loses the ball though to Boruc who is out quickly. Adam Smith and Surman is nudged by Lansbury. AFCB have a throw. MacDonald start off again. Ritchie and Francis. Free kick to AFCB 25 yards out. Ritchie stands over the ball. It has been headed away for a corner.

Fraser takes the corner to Pitman whose header loops over the bar. Burke is tackled by Smith. Lichaj and Antonio, but Boruc gets there first. Forest win a free kick. Cook stops Burke on the wing. Approaching the half hour.

A free kick to Forest. Lascelles can't control the ball and Surman sees it out for a goal kick. Steve Cook's diagonal ball to Ritchie and Surman has it and Fraser, but Collins clears. Surman to the left and Smith and Lichaj puts a late tackle in and is yellow carded, 32 minutes gone.

Fraser delivers the ball and it breaks out to Ritchie and Francis, but Pitman heads over. "The pitch seems to be helping us we are moving it around much quicker," Willo.

Burke has a shot from 25 yards but it comes off Adam Smith and straight into Boruc's arms. Wilson and Fraser and Smith on the overlap wins a corner. Darlow flaps and wins a free kick. Osborne looks for Antonio who sets up Blackstock and Boruc makes a good save! "I think that is only the third time they have been able to applaud their team," says Willo.

Smith and Blackstock fouls Adam Smith in the corner. Forest have a two man wall. Matt Ritchie has a shot blocked and Collins clears behind for a corner. Fraser into the box and Surman can't control the ball. Adam Smith has been penalised by taking a throw too far back! The throw is given to Forest.

There is five minutes to half time. Lichaj takes the throw. Adam Smith across to Francis and Fox battles but Ritchie is pushed out of play. It's a goal kick to AFCB. Forest playing 4-1-4-1. Smith into the edge of the box. Bad ball by Surman. And Antonio shoots at Boruc and it's out for a throw.

Antonio is fouled by Francis 20 yards out and left of centre. Lansbury and Fox are near the ball, just a minute and a half left and Lansbury has scored over the wall. It's 2-1. For the second game in a row AFCB have conceded right on half time. Willo and Temple don't think it should have been a free kick in the first place. The referees are really not helping AFCB at the moment.

Two minutes of added time. Gardner fouls Fraser. Ritchie puts a cross in but Darlow smothers it. "Forest are 2-1  up,"says Willo. "I don't know how they have done it, but they are."  Lansbury is fouled by Adam Smith. Osborne to Fox and Francis blocks the ball. It's half time.

AFCB have had 75 per cent of possession and 10 shots, three of them on target. Forest have had eight shots and five on target. The Cherries have had seven corners to Forest's three. Set-pieces are what have done the cherries in so far tonight.

Second Half

Wilson tries to get a cross over but it is over with Pitman and Francis. Wilson rolls Collins and Osborne puts the ball out. Smith into Wilson but Garnder deals with it. Smith misplaces a pass to Gardner, but AFCB have a free kick. Fraser on the right and the cross goes into Darlow. 

Burke on the nearside and Adam Smith is adjudged to have fouled Chris Burke. Not really a free kick. Still Forest again have a set piece. Lansbury fires wide of the right post. Osborne is tracked by MacDonald and Fox. Surman now to Ritchie who is now on the left. Fraser into Surman and Fraser's shot or pass goes out for a throw.

Forest have a free kick in their own half. Blackstock and Smith goes to ground. Free kick to the Cherries. Fraser down the right and Francis into Surman, eight minutes of the second half gone. Elphick puts the ball out. Blackstock wins a free kick off of Tommy Elphick.

Of the line by Adam Smith! The far post again and it's out for a goal kick. It remains 2-1. Ritchie out to Smith and Ritchie back post to MacDonald and Pitman on the volley is well over. A poor cross from Smith curls out of play.

Wilson holds off Collins. Cook lets the ball bounce and back to Boruc. Elphick clears. Wilson on a run and Ritchie. Not a great cross.

Fraser and the cross, Surman heads wide. Darlow is wasting time with his re-starts. An hour gone. Cook to Smith. Surman comes forward and MacDonald. Now Fraser into Wilson onside and gives a free kick away. 

Elphick wins a free kick. Smith now wins a throw. Surman and MacDonald. Ritchie and Lascelles clears.
Francis crosses and Antonio at the near post Wilson went down but no penalty. Osborne wins a free kick.

Pitman is fouled by Gardner. Pugh and Daniels are getting ready to come on. 19 minutes into the second half. Forest defending very deep. Ritchie against Lichaj and Forest win the throw. 

Fraser 25 yards out and blocked by a defender for a corner. Fraser left footed too high. Daniels and Pugh come on and Fraser and Smith come off. Almost an immediate impact from the subs. and Daniels shot is deflected for a corner. Pugh tried to get in but it's out for a goal kick.

Mancienne comes on for Chris Burke. Fox shanks the ball out of play. Surman finds Pitman. Pugh beats Lichaj and Francis and MacDonald. It runs for Ritchie and Surman but the ball goes behind. Forest not getting out of their own half.

Osborne gets through and shoots at Boruc. Mancienne turns into trouble. Pugh runs into too many red shirts. Surman and Ritchie to Francis and Pitman glanced it away from Pugh. Wilson little lay off lands up with Darlow, 70 minutes gone.

Osborn is clipped by Francis. Free kick 30 yards out. Blackstock is subbed and on comes Fryatt. Lansbury shoots too high. Rantie is warming up. Surman to Wilson and the ball runs out.  Fryatt chases the ball but Elphick wins the ball and it comes away with Cook.

Pugh step over and a throw to Forest. Tokelo Rantie comes on for MacDonald. Forest with Fryatt but it's out for a throw. Pitman is in midfield now. Darlow gathers the ball ahead of Wilson. 12 and a half minutes left. Daniels and Pitman running on but it's on the roof of the net. 

Francis puts the ball out by mistake. Lansbury is onside but Boruc is out first. Cook and Daniels. The ball is put out by Fox. Pugh and Fryatt. AFCB have a throw. Cook to take. Elphick and Francis in there but it's Antonio on the break and Daniels holds up Antonio. Surman looks for Wilson but Darlow is there. Darlow is still wasting time moving the goal kick from one side to the other.

Eight minutes left. Elphick and Francis. Rantie back to Elphick. It's too high for Wilson. "We've not seen 
enough of Wilson tonight," says Kris Temple. 

The final ball is still lacking for AFCB. Elphick cannons the ball against a Forest player but the ball comes back off of Tommy. Fox has the throw in. Pugh comes forward with Lansbury the only player left up field. Daniel's cross does not reach Wilson. Pitman out to Ritchie, back post and it's hacked away.

Lansbury and Osborn and Fryatt. AFCB have the throw. Daniels cross is taken by Dalow. Antonio is subbed for Veldwijk.

Cook gives the ball away Veldwijk shoots. Just four minutes of added time. Matt Ritchie on half way. Throw to AFCB. Pugh to Wilson and Surman and Francis, back to Ritchie. Francis has the ball back. Veldwijk fouls Cook. Just two minutes left. Francis to Pitman and Daniels. Fryatt, Osborn to Fryatt in the corner.

Pitman loses the ball. Fryatt shoots wide. Rantie and a free kick to Forest.

Summary
Another disappointing result for the Cherries. That was not half the story though as AFCB were frustratingly good at the start but Forest stood still and took their set piece chances to leave AFCB four games without a win. The Cherries have just lost the knack of winning and it is now looking like the Cherries are needing some favours from other teams to not start falling out of the top six. There were no shots on target in the second half for the Cherries and they can't keep a clean sheet. In the end Forest had seven shots on target compared to AFCB's three.

AFCB

Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Smith (Daniels 65), Ritchie, MacDonald (MacDonald 76), Surman, Fraser (Pugh 66), Pitman, Wilson.

AFCB Subs

Camp, Daniels, Ward, Gosling, Stanislas, Pugh, Rantie

Nottingham Forest
Darlow, Lichaj, Lascelles, Collins, Fox, Gardner, Burke (Mancienne 67), Lansbury, Osborn, Antonio (Veldwijk 89), Blackstock (Fryatt 71)

Forest Subs
Mancienne, Wilson, Fryatt, Veldwijk, Paterson, Vaughan, de Vries

Pearce should have been given more time, says Forest fan Seat Pitch

Rival Lines

Match preview
Nottingham Forest v AFCB
Blogger Interview: Seat Pitch

I had the pleasure of asking Seat Pitch blogger Pat what he thought about Dougie Freedman's appointment and how Nottingham Forest might go about the match with AFCB. Seeing how the team played against Wigan and Bolton at home it looks like AFCB have a big job on their hands.

CC: Do you think Stuart Pearce had run out of ideas and were you sad to see him go?

SP: Injuries to key players, like last season, have hurt us. But, of course, we shouldn’t - and can’t - be dependent on the likes of Andy Reid, Chris Cohen and Jack Hobbs. That said, Pearce seemed to struggle with a Plan B and, ultimately, that seemed to be his downfall.

Many Forest fans, myself included, had hoped it would work - and the club would finally have some stability. Any manager should have a whole season before being judged and I think Pearce deserved that. The man is a live, breathing City Ground legend - this article on Seat Pitch pretty much sums it up:

CC: Forest have not had the best of luck in picking their managers of late. Does Dougie Freedman stand a good chance of getting it right or is there a more deep routed reason why the team has not been challenging at the top of the Championship?

SP: There is something deep-routed at Forest that seems to have hampered our chances for years… maybe it’s the expectation, maybe it’s the history, maybe it’s just the lack of a real plan for progress. Actually, it’s largely that - at the moment we’re just chucking money around and changing managers and hoping we’ll get lucky. Freedman could be the man we need, or it could be another false dawn - we’ll find out if he lasts beyond the summer.

CC: You have had your fair share of injuries this season do you think that has hampered Forest's progress much?

SP: As I said, losing Reid, Cohen and Hobbs early in the season halted our impressive start - without them it became apparent we had no leaders on the pitch, no creativity without Reid, no energy without Cohen and no defensive resolve without Hobbs. And now we’ve lost Britt Assombalonga for a year as well.

CC: Are you disappointed about the way the club has been handling its finances that resulted in an embargo (now lifted) and failure to meet FIFA's Financial Fair Play rules?

SP: We’ve basically ignored FFP for the past three seasons thinking we’d somehow get promoted and pretend it didn’t exist. Except it’s caught up with us now and we’re under a transfer embargo until (at least) January 2016. As you can imagine this a little bit inconvenient for a club desperate to get promoted. The financial results due this week won't be pretty.

CC: Can you see some positive things about the team that you like since Dougie Freedman has been brought in - the Wigan game was a good home win wasn't it?

SP: The Wigan game, albeit against poor opposition, showed what we can do over 90 minutes - something we’ve struggled to do all season. Likewise, the 4-1 win against Bolton on Saturday was one of our most complete performances of this campaign. Players have responded positively and there’s definitely been a lift (new manager bounce?). Ten points from 12 so far is obviously an impressive start, as is 14 goals from four games.

CC: How about the Blackpool match. A 4-4 draw highlighted some of the problems in the team didn't it?

SP: Losing Jack Hobbs injury (again) highlighted our defensive weakness - Freedman brought Danny Collins back in from the cold, seemingly a good move as we’re also missing Wilson and Mancienne at centre-back. But conceding an injury-time equaliser against nine men shows our lack of concentration at times.

CC: Forest have only got a goal difference of +1, so is the defence the main reason for Forest's slip down the league?

SP: Until mid-October we were conceding fewer than a goal per game. Obviously that changed after Hobbs’ injury and our midfield’s inability to track attacking players. But after scoring for fun, we seemed to forget where the net was - so it’s a combination of both really.

CC: Can you still make the play-offs?

SP: Fawaz thinks we have a ‘big chance’. I think we have a remote chance; one that involves us gaining close to 30 points from our last 14 games - some of the other teams are going to have to slip up.

CC: Do you think the selling of Karl Darlow and Jaamal Lascelles to Newcastle last summer was in the best interests of the club or a big mistake?

SP: In reality, it’s what Championship clubs need to do - bring though academy players and sell for big money. At the time it was claimed it would help with FFP, but then we spent the money on Michail Antonio and Assombalonga. So it was both in the best interests and a big mistake - if that’s possible.

CC: Do you expect a big exodus of players in this summer?

SP: I hope not! We are still allowed to sign players but there’s tight restrictions which make it very difficult to bring quality in, unless they’re on a free transfer. Burnley and West Brom bid for Henri Lansbury and Antonio respectively on deadline day but if we lose them we’ll struggle to replace them.

CC: Forest raised their game when they last played AFC Bournemouth and got a win. So is it a game that you think the Forest fans particularly look forward to when they play the Cherries?

SP: Given your position, and our need for points, I’m not sure it’s a game most are looking forward to. Although we often raise our game against teams above us in the table so who knows?

CC: Which player do AFCB have to look out for in Forest's team when they play?

SP: Given Assombalong’s injury, Antonio is the obvious answer - ungainly at times, he’s also fast, direct and exceptionally strong on the ball and responsible for eight assists and 10 goals this season.

CC: What is your score prediction for the game?
SP: I’ll be optimistic and go for 2-1 to Forest.

CC: It was good to hear from Pat at Seat Pitch, although on recent results I think AFCB are more worried about finding ways to get three points than Forest these days and I make Forest big favourites for this game. I saw Michail Antonio's goal against Bolton at the weekend - strength, power and a controlled finish - incredible! I might be wrong but maybe Jack Hobbs is Pat's favourite player by the amount of references to him. But Forest will be a good team even without him and, Reid, Lansbury and Assombalonga. 

Eddie Howe needs a reaction from the stupor that has fallen on the Cherries and while the atmosphere at the City ground will be great another defeat for the Cherries now would be very damaging, but something we might just have to cope with. While I hope for an AFCB win, I believe a draw would be a good result in this fixture.

Forest have a point to prove

In my mind Nottingham Forest are the most difficult side for Eddie Howe's men to take on so far this season. That is not any disrespect to Huddersfield or Brentford, but Forest are an established Championship side with deep pockets and a new manager who is out to restore the belief and footballing heritage of a club that has some how not been able to get back to the Premier League. What is more, even with a new squad and Stuart Pearce now at the helm they will still be smarting from the fact that they only get a single point from the two league games against the Cherries last season.

Nottingham Forest warm up at the Goldsands stadium last April.

Stuart Pearce has been busier than most in the transfer market and even last week he was adding to the squad with Robert Tesche who was released by Hamburg. I was most impressed with Britt Assombalonga last season at Peterborough as he had a powerful menace about him as he went about his work in the forward line and he will not give defenders a moments rest. Still £5.5m is a hefty price-tag and a club record which he will have to handle. Pearce has also brought in some season professionals such as Matty Fryatt who was signed from Hull City on a free transfer and Chris Burke who was one of Birmingham's better players last season. Another winger on the club's books now is Michail Antonio who moved from Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday in August, Lars Veldwijk from Dutch side SBV Excelsior and defender Michael Mancienne signed from Hamburg SV should be back in the side this week, so Pearce has added depth to the squad. 

Other signings include the loan moves of Jack Hunt from Palace, and more free transfers - Luis Laing, Danny Fox and David Vaughan. Meanwhile, Pearce was unhappy about Jammal Lascelles and keeper Karl Darlow being sold to Newcastle even if they are loaned back for the season. 

But the talk this summer has been on whether the club can hang on to Henri Lansbury who struck a wonder goal against AFCB at the City ground last year. Burnley have had one bid turned down but they could come back for the 23-year-old who currently has a knee injury. The list of players that have left the club over the summer though is pretty long and it may take Pearce a while to get the new players to click. For that reason it might be a good time for the Cherries to play Forest who did win their first game against a Blackpool side that was pretty much conjured up on the day.

The player that I still believe is a diamond for them is Jamie Paterson who showed just how good he was around the December time when he hit a rich vein of form and basically tore West Ham apart in the FA Cup. Still he was only an unsused sub against Blackpool and played 57 minutes mid-week against Tranmere Rovers, and again was an unused sub for the Bolton draw. Pearce has lots of choice but perhaps that will be his weakness in who to play if he does not know his best team yet.

Look out for my contribution to Seat Pitch's website where I answer a few questions about the Cherries and fan's hopes for the season and AFCB's prospects against Nottingham Forest.

The Cherries can end Forest's season

Who would have thought that Nottingham Forest would be needing a win at Bournemouth to stay in the play-off race this late in the season? Arguably one of the pre-season favourites for the title it all went a bit wrong for Forest causing them to part company with Billie Davies. All credit to their players though they have turned their form back around again and are coming to Dean Court with some good results behind them. It won't change the fact though that AFCB would love to stop them in their tracks.

Nottingham Forest players warm up at the City ground.

That won't be an easy task though. Forest have quality in just about every position and the side has probably slightly under performed at least if you talk to the bookies. Andy Reid has been their big threat for most of the season and just watching him play you can see what great skill he has on the ball while his shooting power is as good as any midfielder in the division.

The young man though that has been exciting to watch is Jamie Paterson and he looks like he could play at a higher level having steered Forest past West Ham's FA Cup select team earlier in the season and has continued his scoring run in the Championship. He is another quick thinking player and seems to pop up in the holes where defenders least expect so I would think that Eunan O'Kane will be looking out for him.

At Nottingham AFCB got a late equaliser from Marc Pugh.

Matt Derbyshire is also well known to our supporters from his loan period at Oldham Athletic in League One last year and he has been scoring for fun in recent weeks. The couple he scored against Leeds in Forest last away game showed his strength and the first came in the initial few seconds of the game. Henri Lansbury also scored a belter against the Cherries up at the City ground and Simon Cox is another player who will score the odd goal for them.

So where is Forest's weakness? It could just be in their over confidence. They expected to beat AFCB easily at home and yet they came unstuck. They are likely to be equally confident of taking all three points at Dean Court and that could well suit the Cherry to see them come at us, because on the break AFCB have scored some great goals this season. Away from home Forest have not been doing as well as when they play at home and the stakes in this game will be particularly high for Forest, while the Cherries may just like playing with a bit of freedom and no real pressure now.

Nottingham Forest Away form
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AFCB Home form
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