By NFFC

  • Forest win 2-1 at Sheffield United in Championship play-off semi-final first leg
  • Colback and Johnson goals give Reds one-goal advantage heading into second leg

Head Coach Steve Cooper made seven changes to last week’s side which drew at Hull City for the eagerly-anticipated first-leg of the play-off semi-final at Bramall Lane.

Steve Cook and Scott McKenna were recalled in the back three, with Tobias Figueiredo dropping to the bench and Jonathan Panzo dropping out of the 18.

Djed Spence, Ryan Yates and Jack Colback were also restored to the starting XI, at the expense of Richie Laryea, Cafu and Joe Lolley who all retained their places in the squad on the bench.

Brennan Johnson and Sam Surridge started up front, with Alex Mighten starting on the bench and Xande Silva dropping out.

There was also a boost for Forest as Keinan Davis returned to the substitutes bench for the first time since his injury at Luton a month ago.

Forest kicked off in their luminous yellow and orange third kit facing a Blades side unchanged from their 4-0 home win last Saturday against champions Fulham and featuring two former Reds in Ben Osborn and Jack Robinson.

Oliver Norwood’s corner put Forest under early pressure before John Egan hooked comfortably wide of Brice Samba’s post.

In Forest’s first attack, an excellent Ryan Yates pass released Brennan Johnson down the right and his dangerous cross was cut out by Chris Basham with Sam Surridge lurking at the far post.

Yates was then harshly adjudged to have fouled Morgan Gibbs-White but Ollie Norwood’s free kick came to nothing, despite claims from the hosts for a foul by James Garner on Sander Berge, and Samba intelligently found Johnson on halfway but Enda Stevens blocked his path as he threatened to break free.

On ten minutes, Forest took the lead. Excellent play by Joe Worrall released Surridge down the right hand side and the front man hooked the ball across the face of goal for the onrushing Philip Zinckernagel whose shot from six yards was saved by Wes Foderingham. With Osborn slipping, the ball fell to Jack Colback to steer the ball into the net for his fifth goal of the season.

Spence then forced a corner as The Reds continued their positive start to the first leg tie on what was a beautiful sunny afternoon in South Yorkshire.

After a quarter of an hour, the hosts forced successive corners as they looked to respond and, from the third flag kick, Egan’s firm header was cleared off the line by Surridge.

It was an explosive start to the match as Forest countered again and Zinckernagel wriggled free on the left but his cross shot was gathered by Foderingham.

Garner then found Surridge also on the left and his raking cross very nearly found the onrushing Johnson but Robinson managed to slide in with a last ditch clearance in his own six yard box.

Midway through the half, Forest created an even better opportunity after excellent interchange between Spence and Zinckernagel on the right. Spence’s attempted shot took the ball off Johnson’s toe but fell to Surridge whose low shot was well saved by Foderingham.

Gibbs-White then broke down the right into space for United but his cross only found Samba.

Just before the half-hour, referee Andre Marriner booked John Fleck for a studs-up challenge on Zinckernagel that could possibly have merited a different card.

Five minutes later, Joe Worrall became the first Forest man booked for checking Iliman Ndiaye’s run. From Osborn’s free kick, Yates cleared to safety at the near post.

Ten minutes before the break, a wayward pass from Norwood was collected by Colback who immediately released Johnson in space on the left and his fierce shot was palmed over the bar by Foderingham.

After Garner’s corner was cleared, the Manchester United loanee’s cross found Yates unmarked near the penalty spot and his firm header drifted agonisingly wide of the post.

Next, tenacious play on halfway between Zinckernagel and Surridge ended with the latter releasing Johnson on the right and his low cross-shot went just wide of Foderingham’s right hand post.

The Welshman then nearly wriggled free again in the box as The Reds pinned the hosts back. 

The pressure continued with more excellent play on the right hand side resulting in Surridge’s powerful shot saved by Foderingham. The rebound ballooned in the air and Johnson’s header was brilliantly saved again by the Blades keeper.

Zinckernagel was then booked, as were Robinson and Spence for an off-the-ball clash, as the match went into three minutes of injury time.

Forest continued to push but had to settle for a single goal advantage at the break when their play had certainly deserved more.

HALF-TIME: Sheffield United 0-1 Nottingham Forest 

The hosts started the second half on the attack but then Brennan Johnson nearly beat Blades captain John Egan for pace but the ball ran out play.

Chris Basham then found space in the Forest box but Steve Cook blocked his shot. 

Joe Worrall's shot was then blocked at the other end and fortuitously rebounded to Morgan Gibbs-White to counter but the centre half tracked back to intercept and, in turn, release Colback who was fouled by Oliver Norwood who became the third Blades player booked by referee Andre Marriner

Ten minutes into the second half, Gibbs-White pass found Berge whose rising shot from just inside the box went over Brice Samba’s crossbar.

The match had continued at the same pulsating speed as the first half and, just before the hour mark, Gibbs-White tested Samba with a fierce shot.

Forest countered down the right with Johnson releasing Spence in the box, with Forest winning a corner which unfortunately went straight out of play from James Garner.

As the hour mark was passed, the hosts were starting to gain possession in Forest territory but, in turn, The Reds were looking dangerous on the break.

Worrall cleared Berge’s low cross in his six yard box as Forest were forced defend under sustained pressure for the first time in the match and then Cook diverted Jack Robinson’s cross behind for a corner.

The match reached the midway point of the second half delicately poised and good play down the right released Johnson in the box but his cross was cleared for a Reds corner.

With twenty minutes to play, both coaches made their first changes of the afternoon as Joe Lolley replaced Philip Zinckernagel and George Baldock replaced Oliver Norwood for the hosts.

Then, Forest doubled their lead. Substitute Lolley closed down John Egan and when his subsequent shot was blocked, Brennan Johnson was on hand to steer the ball home to delight of the travelling Forest fans in the upper tier of the Bramall Lane end stand.

The hosts responded with successive corners which Forest dealt with and Basham then headed wide from a long-throw by Jack Robinson.

Forest Head Coach Steve Cooper made his second change of the afternoon with thirteen minutes left as Keinan Davis replaced Sam Surridge up front.

The Reds very nearly made it 3-0 when Spence’s run and cross found Johnson whose shot was superbly blocked.

Daniel Jebbison then replaced Ben Osborn for Sheffield United, before Davis ran down the left channel and squared for Yates who shot wide from the edge of the area.

Rhys Norrington-Davies replaced Enda Stevens in United's final change of the afternoon, before Davis showed great footwork to advance into the area and find Yates who saw another effort held by Foderingham.

With three minutes added on at the end of the second half, United pulled a goal back as Berge headed in from a corner.

Johnson then made way for Alex Mighten immediately after the goal. 

Despite United having a late throw-in, The Reds saw out the lead to ensure they would return to The City Ground with a one-goal advantage on Tuesday night.

FULL-TIME: Sheffield United 1-2 Nottingham Forest 

MATCH STATISTICS

Sheffield United (3-4-2-1): Wes Foderingham; Chris Basham, John Egan (c), Jack Robinson; Ben Osborn, Oliver Norwood, John Fleck, Enda Stevens (Rhys Norrington-Davies 89'); Sander Berge; Morgan Gibbs-White, Iliman Ndiaye

Substitutes not used: Adam Davies (gk), Ben Davies, Daniel Jebbison, Femi Seriki, Conor Hourihane, William Osula

Bookings: Fleck (29’), Robinson (44’), Norwood (53’)

Goal: Berge (90')

Nottingham Forest (3-4-1-2): Brice Samba; Joe Worrall (c), Steve Cook, Scott McKenna; Djed Spence, Ryan Yates, James Garner, Jack Colback; Philip Zinckernagel (Joe Lolley 69’); Brennan Johnson, Sam Surridge (Keinan Davis 77’)

Substitutes not used: Ethan Horvath (gk), Tobias Figueiredo, Richie Laryea, Alex Mighten, Cafu

Bookings: Worrall (34’), Zinckernagel (43’), Spence (44’)

Goals: Colback (10’), Johnson (71’)

Referee: Andre Marriner

Attendance: 30,225 including 3,181 Forest supporters 

Possession: 61%-39%

Shots: 15-17

On target: 3-8

Corners: 8-5