Nottingham Forest vs Wigan Athletic. Sky Bet Championship.
The City GroundAttendance28,848.
Joe Lolley, Matty Cash and Adlene Guedioura score at the City Ground.
Saturday 26 January 2019 18:50, UK
Martin O'Neill secured his first win as Nottingham Forest manager as Wigan's away-day misery was maintained at the City Ground, with a trio of crisp finishes guiding the Reds to a 3-1 win.
Joe Lolley, Matty Cash and Adlene Guedioura all found the bottom corner of the net with finishes from the edge of the box, as Paul Cook's side saw their search for just a second away win of the season extended.
Josh Windass' 33rd-minute strike had cancelled out Lolley's opening goal - which came on his 50th appearance for the club.
But Forest took control after the break, as Cash scored three minutes into the second half, before Guedioura rounded things off nine minutes from the end.
Wigan had a chance when Reece James bent a free-kick a few feet wide of the upright, amid a tentative start to the game from both sides.
Lolley had a couple of threatening darts into the Wigan box, which might have served as a warning to the visitors.
Because, in the 19th minute, after exchanging passes with Osborn, Lolley advanced towards the edge of the box, before looking up to deliver a precise finish across goal and inside the far post.
Wigan's response was positive, as Kal Naismith forced a strong save from Costel Pantilimon with a rising shot. Nathan Byrne then missed a golden chance, as he flicked a header wide.
But Wigan were to level in the 33rd minute when Michael Jacobs fed Windass just outside the area. Windass fired a crisp low shot towards the bottom corner, which Pantilimon could not keep out, despite getting a hand to the ball.
Forest saw Cash lash a low effort narrowly wide. Three minutes into the second half, Cash found himself with another opportunity - and this time took it with impressive accuracy.
After being fed by Guedioura, Cash cut in from the right side, before delivering a crisp shot across goal and into the bottom corner.
Pantilimon had to produce a big save to keep out a close-range effort from Kipre, as Wigan looked for another equaliser.
Cash bravely attacked a fine cross from Lolley, at the far post, but saw his glancing header bounce wide.
Jacobs was a whisker away with a curling shot for Wigan, as they pushed again.
The Reds gave themselves a cushion as Guedioura became the third Forest player to find the bottom corner of the net from range.
Guedioura was then replaced by Claudio Yacob and the Argentinian was immediately at the centre of things.
As James hit the woodwork with a free-kick, Yacob slid in to make an attempted clearance, but only succeeded in bringing down Windass to concede a penalty.
Joe Garner quickly put the ball on the spot, but Pantilimon guessed correctly, diving low to his right to make a strong save, before making another to deny Sam Morsy as he tried to force home the rebound.
Martin O'Neill: "It feels terrifically better. It was great to win the game. I thought we did excellently. There were some great goals and some excellent performances. Obviously I got to know the players a little bit better over the past week for a start. That is very important. I am trying to work some things on the training ground as well.
"There were some things we executed very well and some things that we still need to strongly improve on. You are not going to get everything spot on within a week but the response the players gave here today was really terrific."
Paul Cook: "It is a little pattern that has developed within us. I am sure our supporters don't need to hear me saying the same things all the time. We had great support today and we made the lads aware of that. We are doing our best for the fans.
"It is important in this relegation fight that we are in, with the games ticking down, that we deliver the points that are required to make the fans happy."
