Davies hails Forest fight

Davies: High hopes

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Teams

• Nottingham Forest
• Scunthorpe United

Players

• Dexter Blackstock
• Luke Chambers

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Billy Davies has high hopes for Nottingham Forest after they claimed a 2-0 home win against Scunthorpe.

The hosts wasted several good opportunities before Luke Chambers broke the deadlock in the 71st minute and Dexter Blackstock sealed a second straight victory five minutes later.

That was enough to send Forest up to 14th and leapfrog Scunthorpe, who slipped to 17th after their third league game without a win.

The three points were no more than Forest deserved and Davies was delighted his players got their just rewards.

"We showed courage to stick to it, we showed patience, and we got what our play deserved," said the Forest boss.

"It was a fantastic display and it has been coming for weeks.

"We've got to remove all negativity from this club. If we can do that then, in my opinion, there's no limit to where this group of players can get to.

"This is a results business, but I'm pleased with the shape the squad is taking.

"Things are working with a lot of guidance, and if we get the time, then I'm very confident of where we can go."

Forest started brightly with a succession of early corners but they failed to test Joe Murphy until the quarter-hour mark, when Chris Gunter headed straight at the feet of the Iron goalkeeper.

Nathan Tyson and Blackstock were next to waste decent opportunities while Paul Hayes and Michael O'Connor both fired wide for the visitors.

The second half looked likely to carry on in the same manner with Blackstock, Tyson and substitute David McGoldrick all failing to find the net when in good positions.

Late opener

An injury then forced Murphy to the sidelines with Josh Lillis his replacement, but the young goalkeeper's first task was to pick the ball out of the net as Chris Cohen whipped in a corner from the right and Chambers powered home a header to give Forest a deserved lead.

Then just five minutes later, Paul Anderson swept in a low cross for Blackstock to convert his sixth goal of the season.

Jonathan Forte was unlucky not to give Scunthorpe hope of snatching a draw with seven minutes left as his deflected shot hit a post, but Iron boss Nigel Adkins refused to chastise his players.

"The goals changed the game for us," he said.

"Even though Forest were in the ascendancy, at 0-0 we've got a chance, but they scored and that was that really.

"We're disappointed because, at the end of the day, we could have got something out of the game, but we haven't.

"We want to play football and we've tried to do that this season. It didn't pay off tonight, but we're really enjoying the challenge of the Championship."