Report | First half blitz helps Forest to comfortable win

Nottingham Forest recorded their second successive Premier League win to go three unbeaten in the league with a 4-2 win at Ipswich Town this afternoon.

The Reds netted three times in eight minutes towards the end of the first half to secure the win at Portman Road on a delightful afternoon in Suffolk.

Nikola Milenković opened the scoring for the Reds after the home side failed to deal with a Callum Hudson-Odoi cross, before Anthony Elanga’s well-taken brace all but sealed the three points for Forest in the opening 45.

Ipswich pulled one back with eight minutes remaining through Jens Cajuste but Nuno’s side rounded off the scoring when Jota netted with three minutes remaining after beijg picked out by Morgan Gibbs-White, before George Hirst made it 4-2 in added time.

After a even start in the Suffolk sunshine, the home side fashioned the first meaningful effort on goal when Omari Hutchinson’s drive from the edge of the Forest box cleared Matz Sels’ crossbar.

But Forest grew into the game with Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross almost catching out Alex Palmer in the Ipswich goal, before Chris Wood’s header was comfortable for the Town ‘keeper.

With Nuno’s side spending more time in the Ipswich half, the breakthrough looked to be coming and after 35 minutes the Reds had their goal.

After the home side failed to clear a corner, Hudson-Odoi picked out Nicolás Domínguez with plenty of space. Ipswich failed to deal with his header and Milenković was there to smash the ball beyond Palmer and send the travelling Reds into raptures.

Minutes later Forest countered at pace and had their second through Elanga.

Elliot Anderson picked out the winger on the right-hand side with plenty of space, he strode into the Ipswich box before picking out the bottom left corner with aplomb.

With half-time on the horizon, the Reds had their third and Elanga his second when Milenković’s pass forward picked out Forest’s no. 21 who strolled into the area and finished low beyond Palmer. Forest were flying and went in three goals to the good at the break.

Half-time: Ipswich Town 0-3 Forest

As to be expected, the home side came out for the second half quickly, looking to find a way back into the match, but Sels remained mostly untested.

At the other end on 55 minutes some neat Forest play on the edge of the Ipswich box ended when Domíguez’s cross found Wood in space, but Palmer was able to parry his placed effort on goal.

Neco Williams’s cross-shot almost caught out Palmer, who managed to flick the ball away, though the referee awarded a goal-kick to the home side.

The home side did get on the scoresheet on 82 minutes when Cajuste picked out the top right corner from the edge of the box, but the goal came too late to mount a comeback.

In fact, the Reds made it four on 87 minutes when Jota slid the ball beyond Palmer with the home side committing bodies forward in search of a way back into the game, before Hirst added Town's second in added time.

Forest saw out the remaining second haf minutes comfortably to record their third success clean sheet and second successive Premier League win ahead of the international break.

Full time: Ipswich Town 2-4 Forest