Nottingham Forest 2-0 QPR: Reds Deny Hoops Chance To Top Championship
Nottingham Forest climbed back into the Championship playoff places as goals from Greg Halford and Andy Reid kept up their record of never losing a home game to QPR. Harry Redknapp's side missed the chance to go top at the City Ground. Halford worked Rob Green in the Hoops goal for Forest after an uneventful opening 15 minutes. The versatile Reds player then blazed over following good work from Djamel Abdoun wide left. Benoit Assou-Ekotto tried his luck from range up from left back at the other end, but Karl Darlow. Henri Lansbury then won a tackle and the Forest midfielder fired into the side netting. Just before half an hour the Reds went ahead through utility man Halford. He headed home a peach of a cross from Abdoun. Niko Kranjcar led the response for QPR, curling wide after some silky footwork. Hoops boss Redknapp made two half time changes, throwing Andy Johnson on for Bobby Zamora, who made this first start in 14 matches after recovering from a knee injury. Junior Hoillet also replaced midfield anchor Karl Henry. Tom Carroll, on loan at QPR from Tottenham, brought the best out of Darlow with a chest and volley that almost crept under the bar. Forest's number one clawed the effort over. Halford later shot tamely at Green at the other end after Jamie Mackie's cross. Clint Hill made a vital goal clearance to keep the Hoops in it with a quarter of the game to go. Henri Lansbury's last ditch block then turned a goalbound Jermaine Jenas strike over. The Reds then doubled their lead ten minutes from time in controversial fashion. QPR stopped playing as they believed Reid to be offside, but referee Keith Stroud overruled the linesman, who flagged, as there was no touch on Abdoun's long clearance from his own half. The Forest captain played to the whistle, which was never blown, and beat Green in the clear to seal victory. Lansbury drew a save from Green in stoppage time as Billy Davies's Reds won their first home game for three months. Redknapp and his Hoops meanwhile are now without a win in four matches. The division remains wide open as the top four are now only separated by as many points.