- The Reds beaten by Josh Tymon’s second half strike at the Bet365 Stadium
Chris Hughton made four changes to the side who finished the late defeat against Blackburn on Wednesday evening with Lyle Taylor, Joao Carvahlo, Cafu and Gaetan Bong replacing Lewis Grabban, Brennan Johnson, Jack Colback and the injured Jordi Osei-Tutu. Fin Back kept his place at right back after his substitute appearance against Rovers, thereby making his full Forest league debut at just 18 years of age.
Grabban, Johnson and Colback moved to the bench and Jordan Gabriel served his one match ban for his sending off on Wednesday.
Stoke were undefeated this season and had won 3-1 at Swansea in midweek and it was The Potters had the first meaningful threat after five minutes when Tommy Smith ghosted in at the far post and shot wide from a Josh Tymon cross from the left.
After 12 minutes, Tymon again caused problems down the Forest left this time with a direct run into the box and from Stephen Fletcher’s cross, Sam Clucas headed into Brice Samba’s side netting.
Forest had safely negotiated the first quarter of the match and then had a spell of possession in The Potters half. First, Bong and Cafu combined neatly to set Alex Mighten away and then Ben Wilmot fouled Philip Zinckernagel near the byline but the Dane’s free kick from dangerous position came to nothing.
The Reds then won their first corner of the afternoon from captain Ryan Yates’ cross after more patient build up play by the visitors. However, from the corner the ball was cleared and Stoke’s break resulted in Tobias Figueiredo receiving a yellow card for a late challenge on Fletcher.
Ten minutes before the break Taylor failed to properly connect with an ambitious overhead kick from Zinckernagel’s cross. Five minutes later Forest broke at speed after Yates blocked a Stoke shot. Taylor released Zinckernagel down the right but his cross was blocked and the attack petered out.
Forest went in at half-time the happier of the two teams with a harmless header by Fletcher in injury time registering as the only effort on target in the first 45 minutes by either side.
HT: Stoke City 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Forest started the second half attacking the goal behind which nearly 2,700 of their supporters were in good voice despite the rainy August weather in Staffordshire.
The Reds started the half with more patient build up play but it was Stoke who has the first effort of the half on target after 55 minutes when Smith’s shot was easily collected by Samba.
On the hour mark, Stoke fashioned the first clear chance of the match. A mistake by Zinckernagel let in Fletcher but Samba saved low down with his feet. Seconds later, Stoke threatened again when Mario Vrancic got to the byline. His pull back was again blocked by Samba and Jacob Brown smashed the loose ball high into the side netting.
Samba was then booked for time wasting as the match finally sparked into life.
And it was Stoke who broke the deadlock through Josh Tymon after 66 minutes with a fine goal. A sweeping move down the right resulted in Fletcher touching the ball for Vrancic to carefully open up the space on the left for Tymon to comprehensively beat Samba in the inside left position.
Chris Hughton soon made two changes with Lewis Grabban and Brennan Johnson bought on for the last 20 minutes to add to Forest’s attacking threat.
The Reds were unfortunate moments later when Zinckernagel broke down the right and was harshly adjudged to have fouled Ben Wilmot.
After 79 minutes, The Reds nearly equalised. Johnson nipped in behind the Stoke defence and his cut back was prodded wide by Grabban from six yards out.
With five minutes left, Forest won a free kick a yard outside the box after good combination play by Mighten and Grabban but Johnson curled the ball over the bar and into the Forest fans.
With two minutes left, Johnson was cynically hauled down by Harry Souttar who received The Potters first booking of the match. Shortly after Johnson forced a corner but Stoke dealt with Zinckernagel’s corner.
As the match entered for minutes of injury time, Samba turned Jordan Thompson’s 20 yard shot round the post.
It was tough on The Reds after an impressive rearguard action but meant that they slipped to their fourth straight defeat at the season start for the second successive season.
FT: Stoke City 1-0 Nottingham Forest
MATCH STATISTICS
Forest (4-2-3-1): Brice Samba; Gaeten Bong, Tobias Figueiredo, Scott McKenna, Fin Back; Cafu, Ryan Yates (c); Alex Mighten, Joao Carvalho (Brennan Johnson 70’), Philip Zinckernagel; Lyle Taylor (Lewis Grabban 70’)
Substitutes not used: Ethan Horvath, Jack Colback, Tyrese Fornah, Jayden Richardson, Riley Harbottle
Bookings: Figueiredo (27’), Samba (62’)
Stoke City (3-5-2): Joe Bursik; Ben Wilmot, Harry Souttar, Leo Ostigard; Josh Tymon, Mario Vrancic (Jordan Thompson 70’), Joe Allen (c), Sam Clucas (Romaine Sawyers 86’), Tommy Smith; Steven Fletcher (Sam Surridge 70’); Jacob Brown
Substitutes not used: Adam Davies, Morgan Fox, Danny Batth, Alfie Doughty
Goal: Tymon (66’)
Bookings: Souttar (88’)
Referee: Oliver Langford
Attendance: 21,346 including 2,679 Forest fans
Possession: 59%-41%
Shots: 11-2
Shots on target: 5-0
Corners: 6-2