Forest felled

Doom and gloom on the way to the ground following a very bad news week for Town fans. Firstly a poor result away to lowly (?) Crewe. Then Chairman David Pinkney advises that Trust in Luton will not be allowed to take up it’s board position because of concerns about conflicts of interest, followed up by the news that Jayten is to be renamed Luton Town Holdings and will presumably be where the Club is now managed making the TiL board position irrelevant anyway.

And finally the news that Ahmet Brkovic (described by Blackwell in the programme as a fringe player) has been loaned to League 1 rivals Millwall.

On which subject the Town team against Nottm Forest:


Brill

Perry Coyne Fojut Goodall

Bell Robinson Spring Currie

Edwards

Furlong

A feeling of dread at Robinson yet again, and no Talbot, out for a while with a viral infection. So the prolific shot misser Edwards up front. Should be lots of chances but unlikely to be lots of goals.

On the bench Andrew, Morgan, McVeigh, Jackson, Hutchison.

Forest line-up included Neil Lennon, Kris Commons, Junior Agogo.

Applause for Blackwell plus a few boos as well.

A packed Oak Road stand, a decent atmosphere with The Omen again featuring, and to be fair a decent volume from the new PA system. And then the appearance of special guest Monty Panesar to a rousing ovation.

Early pressure from the Town, and a central free kick after 4 minutes from 30 yards looked promising, but Bell blasted over.

Chants of You’re Not Famous Anymore from the Town fans drew the response You’re Not Famous Anyway. Then chants to Currie of Derby Reject as he . Cracking atmosphere.

On 11 a great header from Furlong afterPerry slipped his man on the right and curled in a long cross, but well saved.

On 14 Coyne intercepted on the half way line and and somehow broke to the edge of the box. He slipped Edwards in with a free shot on goal from 12 yards and only keeper Paul Smith to beat. Being Edwads the answer was of course a conversion Jonny Wilkinson would have been proud of, between the posts and 25 feet high.

It was all one-way traffic and the Town looked sharper and classier, Furlong, Bell and Spring running the show.

On 21 Perry again found space on the right but was hauled down. From the free kick desperate scrambled but ultimately successful defence, and as the ball was cleared Fojut intercepted, slipped his man and fired a belter low into an unfortunate defender.

Seconds later a Currie corner was met well by Coyne whose classic downwards header was cleared by the defender on the post. The ball was played back by Bell and from the resulting clearance Fojut tried again, ballooning the ball out of the ground.

Another Town free kick on 23 and again Bell shaped then curled it low round the wall, but well clutched by Smith.

And still not a shot at the other end.

On 33 Bell lost the ball on the right then won it back and, with an urgency rarely seen, fired a real fizzer into the side netting.

On 37 Robbo intercepted and set Furlong away. As he slipped the centre half, Kelvin Wilson, he was pulled down 22 yards out. Booking for Wilson, and Currie curled the kick just wide of the left post.

On 41 Forest finally had their first shot a free kick from 23 yards, which Brill had to turn round the post. But the corner was cleared.

On 43 yet another Town corner. Currie curled it deep but headed away. And on 45 a lovely ball from Robbo set Furlong away down the left. A peach of a left wing cross headed clear from just under the bar as Bell fought for it.

So, unbelievably, 0-0 at half time despite complete dominance from the Town. Lucky lucky Forest.

No changes at half time, unsurprisingly.

Two minutes in and a quick break from Edwards and Bell down the right and a cross grabbed at the near post by Smith.

On 51 the breakthrough at last. A cross from the right eluded everyone and was pulled up by Currie. A peach of a left foot cross had the Forest keeper scrambling to the far post, where Chris Perry. Dived low and bravely and somehow bundled the ball in.

And boy did the atmosphere rise then! Loud chants of You’re Not Very Good drew furious response from the Forest fans. But not for long as they had no self-belief.

On 61 the second Forest shot of the game, Commons from fully 30 yards, but no save rquired. Two minutes later their third, onto the roof of the Oak Road stand.

So some signs of life.

A lull of sorts for five minutes then Furlong and Edwards combined to set Bell free. He cut inside past the left back and fired low but wide. Within seconds a miraculous save from Dean Brill to turn around a fierce close range shot as Forest threatened for the first time.

So with 15 minutes left the Town holding the lead but Forest starting to play.

A cameo on 33 as the ref, running officiously backwards, fell beautifully over defender Wilson, kneeling down to tie his bootlace.

Chances galore as the game opened up, mostly for the Town, and with 6 minutes left a desperate Colin Calderwood brought on an enormous beast of a centre half, Wes Morgan, and put him up front.

But with two minutes to go the killer blow. Matthew Spring ran and chased a lost cause down the left, and somehow beat two in doing so. He pulled it back to Edwards, mid pitch, and who fed Bell on the right of the box. Finally Bell hit the target, low to the keeper’s right, and the roof flew off with the noise as Kenilworth Road erupted with relief.

But Forest hadn’t given up yet. In the last minute a corner on the right and chaos as the Town defence worried about the beast in their midst. A strong header goalwards saw Matthew Spring clear off the line, but his header fell to earth just twelve yards out, and Wilson hit a shot on the turn which eluded all and bounced in.

2-1 and 3 minutes of added time.

The Town managed to work the ball forward, and Spring received the ball 25 yards out, back to goal. Against all expectations he didn’t play a safe ball back to retain possession, but instead turned sharply and hit a screamer of a shot which a startled Smith struggled to tip over. And that used all the time. So 2-1 to the Town and, to be honest, the scoreline thoroughly flattered Forest.

A standing ovation for the Town players and chants of Deano as Brill came to the tunnel.

Scores:

Brill 7 a great save the only thing he had to doncaster
Perry 7 calm and confident at full back and a threat going forward. Plus a goal.
Fojut 7 a commanding centre half at last
Coyne 8 awesome game and fans MoM Goodall 7 confident and worked well with Currie on the left
Bell 8 typical Bell, taunting and teasing, weaving in and out, but left his shooting boots at home for much of the game. But scored at last.
Robinson 7 a revelation, worked tirelessly and created well
Spring 8 a non-stop running machine
Currie 7 stuck on the left and every cross a delight. Operated in tandem with Bell it meant that crosses which eluded the forwards generally came back across goal a few seconds later. Beautiful to watch.
Edwards 7 playing in the hole worked really well, as his energy meant that we had three hard working central midfielders and yet he was able to support Furlong when crosses came in from wide. If only he could shoot.
Furlong 8 a brilliant first half when he won everything. Tired a bit second half but you could see the panic in the Forest defence when he was near the ball.

Subs:

None used

So a great victory for the Town and Forest`s first away defeat of the season.

Maybe, just maybe ?