Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City. Sky Bet Championship.
The City Ground.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Nottingham Forest and Coventry at the City Ground as Lyle Taylor scored a stoppage-time penalty to seal victory for Chris Hughton's side
Wednesday 4 November 2020 22:56, UK
Lyle Taylor's penalty six minutes into added time helped Nottingham Forest claim a 2-1 victory over Coventry and hand Chris Hughton his first home win as manager.
Forest looked to be on course for their fourth 1-1 draw of Hughton's six-match tenure, after Callum O'Hare's 57th-minute header had cancelled out a first-half goal from Scott McKenna at the City Ground.
But then Kyle McFadzean clipped Taylor's heels in injury time to give the striker the chance to hand the Reds three points from the penalty spot - an opportunity he took with great calmness.
Forest almost took the lead in the 12th minute, when Marko Marosi made hard work of what should have been a straightforward save from a driven shot from Anthony Knockaert, with the 'keeper relieved to see it bounce wide.
From the resulting corner, McKenna planted a header narrowly the wrong side of the post.
Gustavo Hamer conjured Coventry's first attempt on goal in the 27th minute, but his 22-yard effort was always rising well over the bar.
Joe Lolley came close with a header that was deflected wide at the other end.
Forest went ahead in the 30th minute following some penalty box pinball that saw both Luke Freeman and Samba Sow have shots blocked, with the latter's effort deflected perfectly into the path of McKenna, for him to sweep a low shot into the back of the net.
It was the defender's first goal in more than a year, since he netted in a 3-0 win over Kilmarnock for Aberdeen, but his finish was impressive.
Forest 'keeper Brice Samba had to make an adept save to keep out O'Hare's skimming shot, but Forest were deserving of their half-time lead.
Maxime Biamou was unlucky not to draw Coventry level early in the second half, when he saw his driven shot bounce back off the foot of the post.
An injury to Matt Godden gave Tyler Walker the chance to impress against the club where he came through the academy ranks.
But it was O'Hare who was on hand to head Coventry level in the 57th minute as he attacked a cross from Sam McCallum to flick home.
Forest almost restored their lead but saw Marosi hold a Taylor header confidently.
O'Hare also flashed another decent effort wide and Biamou should have put the visitors in front, but planted a great headed chance straight at Samba.
Samba pulled off an outstanding save to deny O'Hare as Coventry pushed hard for a second goal.
The Forest 'keeper also had to beat Walker in a race to a through ball to deny him a chance.
Substitute Sammy Ameobi picked out Lolley with a cross, but he could not get enough on his header.
Coventry had looked the more likely to snatch the win - right up until the moment Taylor netted from the penalty spot with the final kick of the game.
Nottingham Forest's Chris Hughton: "It has been a difficult time for us with regard to getting goals and sometimes you want a break to go your way. I think we deserved something from the game. Whether we deserved a win or not is something different. But we will take it.
"It felt as though, if any side was going to go on and win the game, it would have been Coventry. But just when we thought it was going to end in a draw, we managed to get a goal with the last kick. I thought we were good in the first half but my biggest disappointment was that we did not make the most of the possession we had. We did not have enough shots on goal, we did not create enough opportunities or good crosses. Our build-up play was good.
"But we were up against a very well drilled Coventry side who have been together for some time. It was still a good feeling to get that win. Now we just need to take that feeling into the next game, against Wycombe."
Coventry's Mark Robins: "We would have been disappointed with a point. I thought we were much better in the second half. We hit the post and had numerous chances to finish the game off. Then we shot ourselves in the foot by giving the penalty away, at a point when we had no time to come back.
"If you touch Lyle Taylor he will go down, inside or outside the box. You cannot give him the opportunity to do that. McFadzean is saying that he did not touch him but there was clearly a coming together and as soon as he felt contact he was going to go down, which gave the referee a decision to make.
"Then he picks himself up and sticks the ball in the back of the net. We have had bad luck but, having said that, we could have made it easier for ourselves by making more of the chances we created. On the upside we have played really well. But to come away with nothing is a real blow."
