- Forest come from behind to beat QPR 3-1
- Spence, Yates and Johnson goals keep Reds in touch of play-offs
Head Coach Steve Cooper named two changes to the side which beat Reading 4-0 at the weekend. Tobias Figueiredo returned to replace the injured Steve Cook in central defence and Philip Zinckernagel came in for Max Lowe who also limped off injured against Reading.
Jack Colback moved to left wing-back as James Garner sat into a deeper midfield role alongside Ryan Yates, with Zinckernagel occupying the number 10 position.
With three minutes on the clock, Horvath comfortably claimed a corner and ignited a counter attack by bowling the ball out to Djed Spence, but the wing-back was stopped in his tracks by Moses Odubajo.
On seven minutes, Chris Willock slipped McKenna and played in Andre Gray who forced an excellent save out of Ethan Horvath down to his right before the linesman’s flag was raised for offside.
QPR had another chance moments later as Gray cut the ball back for Andre Dozzell whose miskick from six yard found its way through to Lee Wallace who saw an effort denied by Horvath’s legs amid appeals for offside.
The Reds grew into the contest as Spence embarked on a mazy run from deep, the ball then fell kindly for Zinckernagel who picked out Davis on the edge of the area and the striker saw an effort deflect wide for a corner.
In the 21st minute, The Reds somehow failed to break the deadlock with two clear-cut chances. Firstly, Garner’s deep corner was headed back across goal by Tobas Figueiredo and Ryan Yates saw a header kept out by Marshall from point-blank range.
Moments later, Zinckernagel drove inside and fizzed a cross in towards the far post, but Yates couldn’t divert the ball towards goal with an outstretched leg.
Forest continued to push for the opener as Brennan Johnson raced away from Dion Sanderson down the right channel with an excellent turn, but his cross was unable to pick out Davis inside the area.
Johnson was then held in his tracks by Sanderson but Spence picked up the loose ball and advanced down the channel and into the area but his cut back was cleared.
QPR were forced into making their first change on the half hour as the injured Willock made way for Ilias Chair.
Andre Dozzell was then shown the first yellow card of the night for holding back Zinckernagel as The Reds looked to counter.
Garner tried to capitalise from the slick playing surface by firing a shot on goal from all of 25 yards, but David Marshall claimed his effort with ease.
In the 40th minute, QPR took the lead against the run of play. Chair found Gray who turned away from Figueiredo and powerfully fired beyond Horvath at his near post to open the scoring for the visitors.
The R’s were then shown a second card of the night when Jimmy Dunne brought down Davis towards the edge of the penalty area two minutes before the interval. From the resulting free-kick, Garner’s shot was parried by Marshall into the path of Davis who was deemed offside as he fired the rebound off target.
After two minutes were added on at the end of the first half, referee Jonathan Moss blew for half-time with The Reds trailing at the break.
HALF-TIME: Forest 0-1 QPR
The second half began with Forest attacking the Trent End in the driving rain, as Chair fired his free-kick from the edge of the area straight into the Forest wall.
Nine minutes into the second half, QPR were shown another yellow card. Sam Field dragged Garner to the floor and was subsequently booked by Moss.
From the resulting free-kick, The Reds took the lead. Garner played a short pass to Zinckernagel who squared for Spence, and the wing-back curled a sublime effort into the top corner from 25 yards for 1-1.
Spence then began an attack from deep inside his own half and was released down the right by Zinckernagel. Lee Wallace tried to hack the wing-back down from behind and was subsequently booked, after Johnson fired Spence's cut-back wide from inside the area.
On the hour, Jeff Hendrick and Stefan Johansen replaced Amos and Dozzell in the QPR engine room in the visitors' final changes of the night.
Yates was then the first Forest player booked in a fiery affair on Trentside for bringing down Chair as the visitors looked to break.
A minute later, Moss waved away QPR penalty appeals when Odubajo went down under Colback's challenge inside the area.
The Reds continued to push for a second goal and came close as Yates found Davis inside the penalty area, before the striker turned onto his left foot and rifled a powerful effort wide.
Davis came close again in the 67th minute, but could only glance Spence's left-footed cross wide of the target.
Dickie lost possession for the visitors inside the Forest half and The Reds broke through Davis who found Johnson to his right, but the forward's cross was overhit with Zinckernagel lurking at the far post.
On 71 minutes, Colback drove forward for The Reds who threaded the ball through for Davis to chase down the left channel. The striker's cross had to be turned behind for a corner.
Davis was booked with less than 15 minutes remaining as he challenged Dunne from behind just beyond halfway, before Steve Cooper made a double change.
Sam Surridge replaced Davis in attack whilst Scott McKenna made way for Joe Lolley after picking up a knock, with The Reds switching to a back four.
Johnson, who had moved across to the left flank, was hauled down by Odubajo after brilliantly nutmegging Field, with the former the fifth QPR man booked in the 80th minute.
Marshall then produced an excellent save down to this left to prevent The Reds from taking the lead. Lolley cut the ball back for ZInckernagel who checked back onto his left foot and saw an effort turned behind.
But from the resulting corner, The Reds took a deserved lead. Garner's delivery found Yates who poked an effort in for his eighth goal of the season and fifth in seven matches.
Cafu was then introduced for Zinckernagel immediately after in The Reds' final change of the evening with six minutes of normal time remaining.
Forest nearly found a third goal shortly after as Surridge acrobatically flicked Colback's cross from the left off target.
But with three minutes left, The Reds wrapped the contest up with a third goal. Lolley lead the charge and slipped in Surridge who crossed for Cafu. The substitute saw a shot parried away by Marshall from six yards, but Johnson fired home on the rebound for his 12th goal of the season.
QPR were forced to play the final minutes with 10 men as Marshall, who picked up an injury earlier on in the second half, had to make way. Captain Lee Wallace took the gloves as four minutes were added on at the end of the second half.
The Reds held onto their lead, recording an eighth win from nine at The City Ground in 2022.
FULL-TIME: Forest 3-1 QPR
Nottingham Forest (3-4-1-2): Ethan Horvath; Joe Worrall (c), Tobias Figueiredo, Scott McKenna (Joe Lolley 79’); Djed Spence, Ryan Yates, James Garner, Jack Colback; Philip Zinckernagel (Cafu 84’); Brennan Johnson, Keinan Davis (Sam Surridge 79’)
Substitutes not used: Brice Samba, Riche Laryea, Alex Mighten, Xande Silva
Bookings: Yates (62’), Davis (77’)
Goals: Spence (55’), Yates (83’), Johnson (87’)
Queens Park Rangers (3-5-2): David Marshall; Jimmy Dunne, Robert Dickie, Dion Sanderson; Moses Odubajo, Luke Amos (Jeff Hendrick 61’), Sam Field, Andre Dozzell (Stefan Johansen 61’), Lee Wallace; Chris Willock (Illas Chair 31’), Andre Gray
Substitutes not used: Murphy Mahoney, Yoann Barbet, Charlie Austin, Albert Adomah
Bookings: Dozzell (36’), Dunne (43’), Field (54’), Wallace (60’), Odubajo (80’)
Goals: Gray (40’)
Referee: Jonathan Moss
Attendance: 27,872 including 1,031 QPR supporters
Possession: 58-42
Shots: 15-6
On target: 8-1
Corners: 6-2