- Reds move up to fifth in Championship with 2-0 win over Coventry
- Johnson and Garner goals secure ninth win in 13 league matches
Forest Head Coach Steve Cooper named an unchanged side from the one which beat Blackpool 4-1 at Bloomfield Road at the weekend, with Richie Laryea replacing Loic Mbe Soh on the bench after helping Canada qualify for the FIFA World Cup on international duty.
The visitors created the first chance of the game inside five minutes as Callum O’Hare pulled the ball back for Viktor Gyokeres who dragged a shot well wide of Brice Samba’s far post from inside the area.
Joe Worrall threaded the ball into Djed Spence who then broke into the area, but his low cross evaded Philip Zinckernagel and Keinan Davis.
Callum O’Hare then shot straight at Samba from 20 yards after the midfielder created space for himself.
Scott McKenna then drove forward and played a one-two with Zinckernagel, bursting into the area and crossing for Brennan Johnson which was cleared.
Zinckernagel did superbly well to control Jack Colback’s cross on his chest and fire goalwards but Jake Bidwell produced an important block. Coventry then broke after Worrall’s touch ricocheted off McKenna, with the former being booked for holding back Gyokeres.
Coventry’s bright start continued as Jamie Allen curled a shot off target, before O’Hare capitalised on a poor header from Tobias Figueiredo but his attempt to chip Samba sailed over the crossbar and into the Trent End.
But midway through the first half, The Reds took the lead.
Davis played a perfectly-weighted reverse pass to release Colback in the inside the left channel, the wing-back’s cross somehow rolled across the face of goal without being converted but Johnson was on-hand to squeeze the ball home at the far post for his 15th goal of the campaign.
Coventry responded immediately as Gyokeres showed clever footwork to turn inside the area and slip in Jamie Allen but his effort was comfortably held by Samba.
Garner played a quick free-kick and threaded the ball through for Spence inside the area but his low cross was put behind for a corner.
Spence and Zinckernagel then showed excellent work-rate to chase back and recover the ball following Johnson’s misplaced pass, culminating in Davis leading the charge and winning a corner after looking to play in the Dane.
Jake Bidwell was then shown Coventry’s first yellow card after fouling Johnson as he looked to advance down the byline. Referee Tim Robinson played advantage as Spence won The Reds a corner, from which Figueiredo headed wide from Garner’s flag kick.
Davis held the ball up brilliantly before finding Zinckernagel who shot straight at Simon Moore from distance.
The Reds had a good chance to double their lead on the stroke of half-time when Johnson intercepted a pass high up the field before looking to play in Spence inside the area. The ball instead fell for Zinckernagel who saw a goalbound effort blocked from close-range.
With two minutes added on at the end of the first half, Gustavo Hamer fired high and wide from distance before the whistle blew for half-time.
HALF-TIME: Forest 1-0 Coventry
Six minutes into the second half, Johnson delivered a cross in for an unmarked Zinckernagel who volleyed over from inside the area.
Davis then did superbly well to latch onto McKenna’s through ball down the left channel before powerfully driving into the area and bending a right-footed effort wide.
Coventry had their first sight of goal when Sheaf’s sweetly-struck effort was palmed away by Samba. Zinckernagel then received a booking for a foul on the Coventry midfielder.
From a counter attack, Gyokeres shifted back onto his left foot and blazed an effort over the crossbar.
Steve Cooper then made his first change with Zinckernagel replacing Joe Lolley on the hour mark.
In the 65th minute, Forest doubled their lead.
Davis held the ball up well before nutmegging Michael Rose and playing Garner through on goal, and the midfielder fired a powerful left-footed effort into the roof of the net for his fourth goal of the season.
Mark Robins made a double change shortly after with Ian Maatsen and Fabio Tavares replacing Ben Sheaf and Todd Kane respectively.
The Reds then had appeals for a penalty waved away as Davis showed excellent strength to wriggle away on the byline and advance into the area before going down under the challenge of, but referee Robinsom remained unmoved.
With 15 minutes remaining, O’Hare unleashed a shot which was brilliantly blocked by Figueiredo at close-range.
Lolley was found inside the Coventry half as The Reds looked to break and Forest raced forward in plenty of numbers, but Robinson blew for a foul before booking Dominic Hyam.
Steve Cooper then made his third and second changes of the night, with Johnson and Davis making way for Lewis Grabban and Sam Surridge. Grabban immediately skewed a shot wide from inside the area after Lolley prodded the ball through for the striker.
Garner bent a shot wide from the edge of the area with eight minutes remaining as The Reds continued to push for another goal. Gustavo Hamer then made way for Ryan Howley in Coventry's final change of the night.
Lolley tried his luck from distance, firing high and wide on the angle, before seven minutes were added on at the end of the second half.
Garner's slide rule pass released Lolley inside the left channel but his low cross was put behind for a corner. From Garner's resulting delivery, Yates flicked goalwards and hit the crossbar before the ball was cleared off the line.
Jack Colback was booked for a foul on O'Hare before the full-time whistle blew, marking a ninth win in 13 league matches for The Reds, extending the unbeaten run to nine league games and moving up to fifth in the Championship.
FULL-TIME: Forest 2-0 Coventry
MATCH STATISTICS
Nottingham Forest (3-4-1-2): Brice Samba; Joe Worrall (c), Tobias Figueiredo, Scott McKenna; Djed Spence, Ryan Yates, James Garner, Jack Colback; Philip Zinckernagel (Joe Lolley 58’); Brennan Johnson (Lewis Grabban 78’); Keinan Davis (Sam Surridge 78’)
Substitutes not used: Ethan Horvath (gk), Richie Laryea, Alex Mighten, Cafu
Goals: Johnson (24’), Garner (61’)
Bookings: Worrall (21’), Zinckernagel (54’), Colback (90')
Coventry City (3-5-1-1): Simon Moore; Dominic Hyam (c), Michael Rose, Jake Bidwell; Todd Kane (Fabio Tavares 66’), Gustavo Hamer (Ryan Howley 85'), Ben Sheaf (Ian Maatsen 66’), Jamie Allen, Fankaty Dabo; Callum O’Hare; Viktor Gyokerers
Substitutes not used: Ben Wilson (gk), Martyn Waghorn, Jordan Shipley, Will Bapaga
Bookings: Bidwell (39’), Hyam (77’)
Referee: Tim Robinson
Attendance: 28,977 including 1,974 Coventry supporters
Possession: 55%-45%
Shots: 13-12
On target: 3-4
Corners: 6-2