- The Reds draw 1-1 with Millwall in Steve Cooper’s first match as head coach
- Max Lowe levels for The Reds in the second half after Matt Smith’s opener
Steve Cooper selected an unchanged side from last week’s first victory of the season at Huddersfield, with Philip Zinckernagel, Joao Carvalho and Gaetan Bong also returning to the bench.
The biggest crowd of the season were at The City Ground to see Cooper’s first match in charge and his possession based philosophy was apparent from the first attack when The Reds built patiently from the back and Brennan Johnson very nearly set up Joe Lolley for a clear opening inside the box.
Djed Spence then broke at pace down the right and, from his pinpoint cross, Lewis Grabban’s shot from six yards was smothered by Bartosz Bialkowski in the Millwall goal.
Both Grabban and Bialkowski then needed treatment after colliding when the resulting loose ball was played back into the box.
Millwall’s first threat came just before the 20 minute mark when Scott Malone’s cross was cleared off the head of Matt Smith by Tobias Figueiredo. Dan Ballard then shot into the side netting as Forest failed to fully clear the resulting corner.
Midway through the first half, Forest’s new head coach was forced into a change as Lyle Taylor replaced the injured Lewis Grabban.
Millwall were starting to pump more high balls into the box aiming for Smith and, just after the half hour mark, the big target man put The Lions ahead. Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo drifted in a cross in from the right and Smith, fighting off the challenge of Joe Worrall, placed his header firmly in the corner of Brice Samba’s net.
It was deja vu for Reds fans as it was Smith who had scored a first half hat-trick in the same Trent End goal in the final home match before lockdown in March 2020.
Shortly afterwards, Shaun Hutchinson headed onto the roof of the net from a corner as Millwall continued to pose a physical threat.
Forest were struggling to get an opportunity to play their passing game until, just before half-time, The Reds broke from deep via Lolley, Max Lowe, James Garner and Johnson to nearly prise an opening.
However, at the break, it was The Lions who held the advantage.
Half-time: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Millwall
The Reds got a slice of fortune early in the second half to level the scores. Max Lowe created himself a yard of space on the left touchline and his high cross evaded the back-peddling Bartosz Bialkowski and bounced in off the far post for his first Reds goal.
Ten minutes into the second half, Tobias Figueiredo became the first man in referee Jeremy Simpson’s note book for a foul on Sheyi Ojo.
The crowd were now firmly behind the home side and Figueiredo’s clipped shot was blocked from Joe Lolley’s corner.
George Saville then dragged a shot wide as the match sparked to life. On the hour mark, Ojo’s run was halted in the box by Figueiredo and Matt Smith smashed the loose ball against Brice Samba’s crossbar from 12 yards out.
The game was suddenly end-to-end and there was controversy when the ball rebounded off referee Simpson to release Millwall on the counter attack. The Reds responded with Lolley breaking deep into Millwall territory but he was unable to find the unmarked Lyle Taylor in space.
Midway through the second half, Steve Cooper made his second change of the afternoon as Philip Zinckernagel, who missed last week’s win at Huddersfield, replaced Lolley.
Maikel Kieftenbeld then became the first Millwall player to receive a caution when he halted the Dane as Forest broke dangerously after a Millwall attack.
Moving into the final ten minutes, both Taylor and Joe Worrall had shots blocked in the box as Forest tried to peg Gary Rowett’s men back but the centre-half was booked shortly afterwards for a foul on substitute Benik Afobe, with the forward then also booked for his reaction.
With five minutes left, Dan Ballard was also booked for dragging back Zinckernagel, although the Dane managed to continue his run and release Johnson whose inviting cross evaded everybody in the six yard box.
The Dane was heavily involved in Forest’s late pressure and had a 20 yard shot that went wide with two minutes left on the clock.
The referee signalled five minutes of injury time and, although both sides had attacks, it was a point apiece in an entertaining match in The City Ground sunshine.
Full-time: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Millwall
___________________________________
MATCH STATISTICS
Nottingham Forest (3-4-3): ; Brice Samba; Scott McKenna, Tobias Figueiredo, Joe Worrall; Max Lowe, James Garner, Ryan Yates, Djed Spence; Brennan Johnson (Alex Mighten 87’), Lewis Grabban (c) Lyle Taylor (27’), Joe Lolley (Philip Zinckernagel 68’)
Substitutes not used: Ethan Horvath (GK), Gaetan Bong, Joao Carvalho
Goals: Max Lowe (52’)
Bookings: Tobias Figueiredo (55’), Joe Worrall (82’)
Millwall (5-2-3): Bartosz Bialkowski; Scott Malone, Murray Wallace, Shaun Hutchinson (c), Dan Ballard, Ryan Leonard; George Saville, Maikel Kieftenbeld (Billy Mitchell 78’); Connor Mahoney (Benik Afobe 69’), Matt Smith (Tom Bradshaw 87’), Sheyi Ojo (George Evans 78’)
Substitutes not used: George Long (GK), Alex Pearce, Jake Cooper
Goals: Matt Smith (32’)
Bookings: Maikel Kieftenbeld (78’), Benik Afobe (82’), Dan Ballard (84’)
Referee: Jeremy Simpson
Attendance: 25,589 1,284 Millwall fans
Possession: 56%-44%
Shots: 10-12
Shots on target: 3-2
Corners: 3-4