Nottingham
Forest

Bristol City

© Nottingham Forest 1999

 

A small but select crowd of 5015 turned out on a rather damp night to watch this first leg match. Straight from the kick off Bristol City broke through on goal, but Crossley saved. On 11 mins Quashie had a long range shot but went wide. Forest's first goal came on 13 minutes. Harewood broke through with considerable pace making a good run and putting the ball past Phillips. But barely had he finished celebrating his first goal of the season when Bristol ran forward and Jordan shot for goal. Crossley was too far out of goal but Rogers headed the ball clear. Unfortunately, he was inside the goal and the ball was rightly judged to have gone in so it was 1-1.

Forest had plenty of good chances through the rest of the first half. Harewood made a terrific run, putting the ball across the goal for Rogers but the angle was too tight for him to get the ball in. Quashie had several attempts at scoring from long range but all went wide. Rogers sent the ball across an open goal. Allou came on for Petrachi who went off limping slightly. Harewood again put a good cross in but Hjelde sent the ball flying over the net. Harewood had a good first half, the best we've seen him play in a long time. He showed pace and commitment and it looked as though he had been learning from Wright.

I tried the meat and potato pie as well as the Bovril tonight but have to say I was not impressed.

Bonalair came on for Scimeca after half time. Allou, whose name the crowd enjoy shouting out so that it sound like a long BOOOOOO, was making some useful moves and had an early shot on goal saved. Marlon sent a great ball through for Freedman who put it wide. Forest's second goal came on 60 minutes from a free kick just outside the penalty area. Rogers sent a hard, curling ball straight into the back of the net - reminiscent of a Pearce special. Allou had another shot pushed over the net by the keeper and had several more nice runs through. But the effort seemed to peter out as the match went on.

Young Merino made his debut with about 30 seconds of injury time but didn't have a chance to touch the ball. Another goal would have been good to make the second leg easier and Forest certainly should have had at least one more. But Freedman had a very poor game and Rogers game was patchy. Petrachi and Scimeca were both missed in the second half. Marlon was my man of the match tonight, he never gave up and showed how much he has improved.

On tonight's performance young Marlon has been learning from his teacher Ian Wright, it makes you wonder if David Platt will risk playing Wright and Marlon together. Petrachi needs a goal to settle him down, and Alan Rogers needs to get his confidence back.

So to Sunday and the first return to The City Ground of Brian Clough since he retired. I for one cannot wait to see "old big head" come back home.