- Forest keep pressure on second with 5-1 win against Swansea
- Surridge nets hat-trick as Reds run rampant on Trentside
Head Coach Steve Cooper named an unchanged eleven from the side which beat Fulham at Craven Cottage on Tuesday night, with Under 18s forward Dale Taylor making his first appearance in a Forest matchday squad as he replaced Xande Silva on the bench.
On a beautifully sunny afternoon at The City Ground, The Reds kicked off following a tremendous rendition of Mull of Kintyre which featured another Forza Garibaldi display in the Trent End.
Inside four minutes, Forest came extremely close to breaking the deadlock. Scott McKenna released Surridge down the left channel and into the area with the striker’s curling shot being parried into the path of Zinckernagel who saw a six-yard effort blocked on the line by Ryan. Manning six yards out.
The Reds’ dominant start continued as Joe Worrall’s slide-rule pass released Djed Spence down the right flank and the wing-back’s cross was cut back to James Garner whose first-time shot was superbly deflected behind by Cyrus Christie.
Inside ten minutes, Forest could have been 3-0 up. Steve Cook played the ball over the top for Surridge who beat the offside trap and looked to chip Andy Fisher but miscued his effort with the Swansea ‘keeper claiming the ball with ease.
Swansea began to grow in the game as leading goalscorer Joel Piroe curled a shot straight at Brice Samba from inside the area.
On 23 minutes, The Reds took the lead. Spence showed excellent speed to get beyond Manning down the right channel and deliver a low cross which Swansea failed to clear, allowing Jack Colback to bundle the ball across the line for 1-0.
Referee Graham Scott initially gave a penalty and showed Christie a red card but after a lengthy discussion with his assistant, the goal was given with Christie remaining on the pitch with a booking. The goal was later credited as an own-goal by Christie.
In the 28th minute though, Swansea found an equaliser. Matt Grimes found Michael Obafemi inside the area with a looping pass, controlled and calmly slotted beyond Samba for his 12th goal of the campaign.
The Reds looked to respond as Spence raced beyond Hannes Wolf down the right-hand side and saw a shot blocked for a corner. From the resulting delivery, Garner picked out Worrall at the near post whose goalbound flick forced Fisher into a save from point-blank range.
Brennan Johnson was then released inside the right channel by Spence and his powerful low cross was cleared by Naughton a yard out in what was proving to be an enthralling encounter on Trentside.
In the 38th minute, Joel Latibeaudiere was booked for grabbing hold of Johnson as he looked to latch onto a long ball on halfway.
Four minutes before half-time, The Reds came extremely close to regaining the lead twice in quick succession. From Garner’s corner, Surridge saw a header tipped onto the post by Fisher and then from Johnson’s cross, Yates saw a header somehow denied by the Swansea goalkeeper from three yards.
Excellent pressing by The Reds saw Worrall rob Naughton of the ball deep in the visitors’ half and the centre-half’s cross was inches too high for Surridge at the far post.
Six minutes were added on at the end of a highly entertaining first half as The Reds squandered another big chance. Yates got away down the left channel before crossing low for Surridge who fired a left-footed shot wide from close-range.
Right before the break, Wolf played in Obafemi to his right who stung Samba’s palms with a powerful effort from 20 yards.
Scott blew for half-time with The Reds somehow on level terms having created several chances but failing to take them.
HALF-TIME: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Swansea City
Forest attacked the Trent End in the second half and less than three minutes in, The Reds deservedly retook the lead.
Another Garner set-piece caused confusion and Surridge rose highest to nod the ball beyond Fisher for his sixth goal in a Forest shirt.
The Reds had made a strong start to the second half, and just five minutes after Surridge’s opener, the 23-year-old made it 3-1 with his second goal of the afternoon.
Garner broke away in midfield and led a counter-attack before slipping in Surridge to his left who found the net with an excellent, curling, first-time effort which nestled into the top-right corner.
Forest searched for more goals as Garner’s corner was headed over the crossbar by Latibeaudiere and out for another corner.
With The Reds firmly on top, Russell Martin made his first changes with Congreve and Manning making way for Olivier Ntcham and former Forest man Jamie Paterson.
Spence’s cross was flicked away with Surridge lurking but Zinckernagel kept the danger alive and fed Garner whose curling shot was held by Fisher.
On 58 minutes, Surridge was inches away from netting his hat-trick. From Yates’ low cross from the right, the striker got in front of Naughton before seeing a point-blank effort denied by Fisher.
After the hour, Garner picked up a loose ball before finding Zinckernagel in a central position but the Dane’s left-footed strike was straight at Fisher from the edge of the area.
The Reds continued to create chances as Johnson strode beyond Latibeaudiere down the right and cut the ball back for Surridge who saw an effort blocked by Naughton from eight yards.
But on 70 minutes, Surridge did find his hat-trick. Zinckernagel broke forward and found Spence to his right, the wing-back's cross was tipped onto the crossbar and fell for Surridge who composed himself and finished emphatically at the near post.
Straight after the goal, Steve Cooper made his first change with Zinckernagel making way for Joe Lolley.
Surridge left the field to a standing ovation with 15 minutes remaining as he made way for Alex Mighten in The Reds' second change of the afternoon.
Joel Piroe made way for Jay Fulton in Swansea's final change, moments after Garner laid the ball off for Lolley who fizzed an effort narrowly wide from 20 yards.
Down the other end, Colback produced a superb clearance to deny Paterson from getting on the end of a dangerous inswinging cross at the far post. Colback then made way for Richie Laryea in Forest's final change on 83 minutes.
On 84 minutes, The Reds made it 5-1. Samba picked out Mighten's run in behind the Swansea defence with an excellently-weighted long ball, with the young attacker controlling the ball and prodding an effort beyond Fisher for his first goal of the campaign.
Four minutes were added on at the end of the second half as The Reds closed in on yet another win in their final regular league game of the season at The City Ground.
Laryea showed good footwork to get past Wolf on the right flank before pulling the ball back for Johnson who saw an effort put behind for a corner.
Mighten then came close to adding his second goal in the dying embers, shifting the ball onto his left foot and seeing his shot saved by Fisher before the full-time whistle blew.
The win was Forest's ninth in their last ten Championship matches and seventh successive victory at The City Ground, keeping The Reds within three points of AFC Bournemouth in second ahead of Tuesday's crunch match on the South Coast.
FULL-TIME: Nottingham Forest 5-1 Swansea City
MATCH STATISTICS
Nottingham Forest (3-4-1-2): Brice Samba; Joe Worrall (c), Steve Cook, Scott McKenna; Djed Spence, Ryan Yates, James Garner, Jack Colback (Richie Laryea 83’); Philip Zinckernagel (Joe Lolley 70’); Brennan Johnson, Sam Surridge (Alex Mighten 76’)
Substitutes not used: Ethan Horvath (gk), Tobias Figueiredo, Cafu, Dale Taylor
Goals: Christie OG (23’), Surridge (48’, 53’, 69’) Mighten (84’)
Swansea City (4-2-3-1): Andy Fisher; Cyrus Christie, Joel Latibeaudiere, Kyle Naughton, Ryan Manning (Olivier Ntcham 57’); Matt Grimes (c), Flynn Downes; Cameron Congreve (Jamie Paterson 57’), Joël Piroe (Jay Fulton 78’); Hannes Wolf; Michael Obafemi
Substitutes not used: Ben Hamer (gk), Korey Smith, Kyle Joseph, Nathanael Ogbeta
Bookings: Christie (23’), Latibeaudiere (38’)
Goals: Obafemi (28’)
Referee: Graham Scott
Attendance: 28,659 including 1,403 Swansea supporters
Possession: 30-70
Shots: 27-12
On target: 17-3
Corners: 12-4