Forest Felled by a Rampant Red Hot Poker

You can't deny Nottingham Forests' wonderful history, but reputations count for nothing these days. The season's most eagerly awaited clash filled the stadium with 9072 fans who saw one of the most exciting first half performances so far this term. It's true that at half time most Yeovil fans were left pinching themselves, not just because we were beating the "once mighty" Forest, but we were doing it with relative ease. In the few weeks that Steve Thompson has been in charge, we've seen a more defensive approach, a little more caution, but still we've seen an attacking flair that brings goals and chances.

It was Phil Jevons who nearly opened the scoring straight away when a defenders header reached him in midfield, with Russell Hoult out of position, Jevo shot straight away but his effort went just wide of the post. It wasn't long though before Jevo found his range, with only seven minutes on the clock. Pablo Bastianini was fouled outside the box, the free kick bounced around before finding Phil JEVONS 25 yards out and he hit an unstoppable shot that flew and dipped and beat Hoult all ends up. What a start! A few minutes later Yeovil came forward again, this time a Matt Harrold cross found Bastianini's head, but the Argentine could not find the target.

Just as the Yeovil fans started to taunt the Forest fans with the "you're not famous any more" chant, the Midlanders almost got right back into the game, thankfully the assistant referee flagged for offside and a coverted header from the most wonderful of crosses by Kris Commons was disallowed. Moments later, Commons game was up, he injured himself when defending and had to be replaced with barely 15 minutes gone. It was a blow to Forest and a shame for the game, although Yeovil would find it easier to defend the left, when a player with that talent leaves the pitch, it's met with mixed feelings.

Jevons certainly put his boots on the right feet when he got up this morning, another blistering free kick was beaten out by Hoult, but the mood was tempered slightly when Yeovil suffered a big blow of their own as Terry Skiverton left the field with illness rather than injury. Fortunately, the Glovers have plenty of centre half's on hand, albeit that list is very depleted. Step forward Scott Guyett, just back from a loan spell at Aldershot, to partner Colin Miles in the heart of defence. Guyett was in the thick of the action straight away and got two telling headers in which would have settled any nerves he or the crowd had following the influential skippers departure.

Any nerves still remaining were well and truly settled on 26 minutes when a spellbounding passage of play put the home side two up. Matt Harrold, who led the line superbly was scythed down just as he laid the ball off to Pablo, with the crowd screaming for Referee Jarnail Singh to take action, Bastianini released Amankwaah down the right and the advantage was played, with his now trademark run and cross he found the red hot poker on the far side and Phil JEVONS swept home a fine finish to once again leave Hoult completely beaten - a wonderful goal and a wonderful piece of refereeing, the tackle from before was then punished, but mostly unmissed with a yellow card.

With Forest rattled they needed a goal quickly, they were nearly gifted one when a messy moment in the box saw Yeovil's defence struggling to clear a corner, but luckily Keeper Weale kept his head and cleaned up, he was called into action seconds later when a high dangerous ball came into the box, but this time his powerful punch with distance attached cleared the threat. Forest then suffered another huge blow, this time self inflicted, when Gareth Taylor flattened Colin Miles, the ref missed it but the linesman didn't and the striker was dismissed.

Right on halftime, Yeovil had the chance to extend their lead to three, this time Jevons the provider crossed to the far post where Guyett, with plenty of time will be so disappointed in not scoring. His header was on target, but Hoult managed to get a hand to it and turned it onto the bar.

The second half, from Yeovil's point of view was more cautious. Forest had to get back in the game. The home side were content to lie a little deeper, as if to suck in Forest, when they did attack they rarely looked like scoring such was Yeovils ploy to snuff them out, and each time they did snuff them out they then got the ball forward, and with width to stretch the 10 men every time. The third goal should have arrived soon after the restart, a tremendous Paul Terry pass that split the defence was picked up by Nathan Jones, who was having the time of his life down the left, and his cross perfectly cued up Pablo Bastianini who only had to get something on it to score. He missed it completely and that will do his confidence no good at all, he needs a goal, and he needs one quickly, as the old saying goes - he can't buy one at the moment!

Nathan Jones lost the ball in his own half and Jack Lester nearly got a goal back, but his shot lacked power and Weale collected easily low down to his right, Forest were now frustrated, Paul Terry was hacked late and left the field clutching his side. The Towns injury list was now beginning to grow. But the squad has depth, and Michael Rose, almost forgotten came into the middle of the park to partner Lee Johnson, who had earlier grabbed the skippers armband. Rose made his presence felt straight away, two hard, late tackles went unpunished, but the third - which wasn't as bad, got him booked. Mr Singh correctly tempered his enthusiasm. Rose, to his credit calmed down, and actually looked quite accomplished in his midfield berth, with Terry and Way both injured, it could prove to be an uncanny way of coming back in from the wilderness.

The extra man now began to tell for Yeovil, Davies and Johnson both hit well struck shots from 25 yards that forced Hoult into making saves. Thompson then introduced Kevin Gall who replaced Pablo, Gall was in the action straight away, another great link up, this time Jevons and Johnson, saw a fine cross to the far post, Gall connected but his shot was deflected for a corner, this was cleared but only as far as Rose, who kept the ball down and hit a thunderous shot only to see Hoult, so close to an England spot not long ago, once again save well.

Hoults guard was finally broken on 82 minutes, Gall did well to set up Arron DAVIES, who did even better to find the postage stamp corner from 25 yards to put his side three up. It could so easily have been four or five, another fine run by Jones saw another fine cross into the box, Gall this time opted to use his head, and you guessed it, Hoult saved it. Davies was then fouled, Jevons wanted it but Jones took it, and you guessed it, from 25 yards (again!) Hoult held on. Finally, it was left to Jevons to set himself up for a deserved hatrick. With a sublime piece of control, bringing the ball down on the outside of his boot, Henry-esque, he rather snapped at his shot and pulled it wide, no one would have begrudged him the matchball if that had gone in!

That's how the game ended, Yeovil 3 Forest 0. What a result, but more importantly what a performance - a truly great and mature one, especially considering the injury list. Yeovil played with discipline and control, Thompson has not, and will not make wholesale changes, but what he has done is tighten up a ship that occasionally let a bit of water in, the Forest 0 bit says it all!

Jeremy Gear

MOTM Vote Result:

Overall match rating: 9.5 / 10
Performance: 9.7
Entertainment: 9.3

75 votes received.

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