- Forest extend unbeaten away run to eight matches
- Molumby sent off for West Brom as Reds held to goalless draw
Head coach Steve Cooper made four changes to the side which drew against Luton on Tuesday, with Tobias Figueiredo, Gaeten Bong, Ryan Yates (returning from suspension) and Lewis Grabban replacing Jack Colback (one match suspension), Braian Ojeda, Joe Lolley and Lyle Taylor. Mohamed Dräger was named on the substitutes bench for the first time.
Valerien Ismael’s Baggies started the match in third place in the Championship and undefeated at The Hawthorns this season. There was heavy rain on a cold West Midlands evening as Albion kicked off and Karlan Grant audaciously shot wide of Brice Samba’s goal straight from the kick off.
After five minutes, Albion attacked down the left and after Conor Townsend’s shot was blocked by Joe Worrall, Alex Mowatt flashed a 20-yard drive wide of Samba’s goal.
Forest were playing in their distinctive yellow and orange third kit in a 3-4-3 formation and, after ten minutes, Brennan Johnson slipped Matt Clarke on the right and was tripped, with the Albion man the first name in referee Gavin Ward’s notebook.
The Welshman then picked up a loose pass from Kyle Bartley but his cross was blocked. Grabban was then fouled by Darnell Furlong near the left byline but Garner’s swerving free kick was punched clear by Sam Johnstone in the Albion goal.
On the quarter hour, Figueiredo was the first Forest player booked for a foul from behind on Callum Robinson and Townsend then shot over Samba’s bar after a misplaced pass by Bong.
Grady Diangana then cut inside Bong in the penalty area and drove a low shot which Samba saved smartly to his left, with Scott McKenna scrambling the rebound to safety.
Midway through the half, Joe Worrall was booked for a challenge on Karlan Grant with the caution appearing slightly harsh, as had the earlier booking for Figueiredo.
On the half hour, Albion created a clear opening when Grant beat Worrall on the right and crossed for Furlong who shot over the bar from 10 yards out in the centre of the box.
Spence then beat Townsend on the right to win The Reds’ first corner of the match but Philip Zinckernagel’s flag kick was cleared at the near post.
Furlong’s long throw caused momentary panic in The Reds defence before Samba claimed the loose ball and then, ten minutes before the break, Robinson was fouled by Yates 22 yards from goal but Karlan Grant curled the free kick over the bar.
Robinson, who was playing in the central attacking role in the Baggies’ 3-4-3 formation, then shot straight at Samba from outside the box as the match neared half time.
Albion then forced successive corners as the finished the half in the ascendancy but The Reds went into the break on level terms despite not being at their best in what was a largely scrappy first half.
HALF-TIME: West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Forest kicked off the second half attacking their own supporters and they were immediately on the attack when Scott McKenna drove forward and released Lewis Grabban on the left but Albion cleared the cross and Philip Zinckernagel’s shot from the edge of the box was then blocked.
Albion then forced a corner but The Reds attacked again through Djed Spence who fed Brennan Johnson who squared for James Garner but his shot was also blocked.
Joe Worrall then nearly released Zinckernagel as The Reds made a bright start to the second period. Shortly afterwards the centre half skipped a number of challenges in the Albion half before trying to release the Dane again but, on the turnover, the Baggies countered and Karlan Grant fired over after skipping past Tobias Figueiredo’s challenge on the edge of the box.
Worrall then made an important block as Callum Robinson was sent through by Alex Mowatt’s pass and Jayson Molumby was then booked for cynically hauling back James Garner as the Manchester United loanee broke in midfield with Forest developing a threatening two-on-two attack.
Valerien Ismael made the first substitution of the match after an hour when Matty Phillips replaced Grady Diangana but The Reds were threatening again when Ryan Yates hit the byline, however his cross was cleared by Albion.
Darnell Furlong’s cross then drifted wide of Brice Samba’s goal as the match started to come to life.
20 minutes into the second half, Steve Cooper made his first change of the evening as Joe Lolley replaced Philip Zinckernagel.
Clever play by Ryan Yates in the Forest half then released Lolley who fed Johnson and his deflected shot was palmed over the bar by Sam Johnstone.
With 20 minutes left, Albion were reduced to 10 men when Jayson Molumby received a second yellow for a lunge on Lolley.
Head coach Cooper then immediately made a tactical switch with Alex Mighten replacing Tobias Figueiredo as Forest went 4-2-3-1 with Grabban up front.
Samba then released Mighten down the left with an intelligent clearance and, from his cross, Grabban forced a corner which Yates headed over the Albion crossbar.
Albion were still attacking and forced successive corners as the rain got heavier, before good play by Johnson in the Albion box forced a Forest corner as The Reds looked to force Albion back in the last ten minutes.
A slip by Kyle Bartley gave Mighten a chance to square for Grabban but his shot was blocked by Matt Clarke for a corner. The swirling wind was now proving a problem for the players and Garner’s corner was headed away at full stretch by Clarke. From the subsequent corner, Yates headed over.
With five minutes of normal time remaining, Bong's searching cross evaded Lolley and Spence at the far post and went out for a goal-kick.
Three minutes were added on at the end of the second half, and inside the first minute of stoppage time, Matt Clarke flicked the ball onto Jordan Hugill who blazed over from 12 yards.
Down the other end, Lewis Grabban was inches away from connection his left boot with Joe Worrall's cross from the right, as another chance went begging for The Reds.
The full-time whistle blew on a bitterly cold night at The Hawthorns, with Forest stretching their unbeaten run away from home to eight matches, losing only one of their last 13 games in the Championship.
FULL-TIME: West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Nottingham Forest
MATCH STATISTICS
West Brom (3-4-3): Sam Johnstone; Cédric Kipré, Kyle Bartley, Matt Clarke; Darnell Furlong, Jayson Molumby, Alex Mowatt, Conor Townsend; Grady Diangana (Matt Phillips 60'), Callum Robinson (Adam Reach 72'), Karlan Grant (Jordan Hugill 79')
Substitutes not used: David Button (gk), Semi Ajayi, Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Tom Fellows
Bookings: Matt Clarke (10’), Jayson Molumby (60', 71')
Sending off: Jayson Molumby (71')
Forest (3-4-3): Brice Samba; Joe Worrall, Tobias Figueiredo (Alex Mighten 72'), Scott McKenna; Djed Spence, Ryan Yates, James Garner, Gaëtan Bong; Brennan Johnson, Lewis Grabban, Philip Zinckernagel (Joe Lolley 65')
Substitutes not used: Ethan Horvath (gk), Cafú, Braian Ojeda, Mohamed Dräger, Lyle Taylor
Bookings: Tobias Figueiredo (16’), Joe Worrall (22’),
Referee: Gavin Ward
Attendance: 22,424
Possession: 45%-55%
Shots: 16-9
Shots on target: 3-1
Corners: 7-7