DERBYSHIRE DOUBLE SEALS WIN FOR FOREST

DERBYSHIRE DOUBLE SEALS WIN FOR FOREST

Matt Derbyshire's double secures points for Nottingham Forest...

UNITED 0, FOREST 2 (Derbyshire 2, 16).

United: Butland, Wootton, Lees, Pearce, Warnock (Pugh 71), Brown, Tonge (Mowatt 72), Austin, Murphy, Hunt (Smith 60), McCormack. Subs. Cairns, White, Stewart, Poleon.

Nottingham: De Vries (Evtimon 80), Harding, Collins, Lascelles, Halford, Vaughan (Greening 54), Paterson (Jara 82), Osborn, McLaughlin, Derbyshire, Mackie. Subs. Abdoun, Majewski, Tudgay, Henderson.

Referee: I Williamson.

Booked: Lees (Leeds), Mackie (Forest).

Att: 20,517.

United manager Brian McDermott recalled fit again Rudy Austin into his starting line-up for the Easter Monday clash with Play-Off chasing Nottingham Forest. Austin replaced the injured Marius Zaliukas and a further change from Saturday's victory at Barnsley saw Noel Hunt come into the side in the place of Matt Smith.

The visitors made a perfect start to the game when they took the lead inside the opening two minutes. Stephen McLaughlin latched onto a loose ball in the midfield and sent a perfect defence-splitting pass through for Matt Derbyshire, who slotted the ball into the back of the net.

The away side continued their good start to the game and threatened Jack Butland's goal on 10 minutes. Jamie Mackie was the provider when he crossed for Ben Osborn, but Butland was equal to his headed effort and held the ball well.

Moments later United put together some fast, first time passing to allow Michael Tonge space to run into. The midfielder broke forward after a good lay-off from Austin but his strike on goal went wide of the mark.

But on 16 minutes the away side went further ahead. Mackie was involved in the attack again and it was his pass that led to Derbyshire having a sight on goal. The Forest forward capitalised on a United mistake at the back and rounded Butland to roll the ball into an empty net.

With the half-hour mark approaching United began to grow into the game and enjoyed long spells of possession. United mounted a half chance when a blocked Ross McCormack shot led to Austin crossing from the left. His low drive was almost met by Hunt but the keeper dived on the ball.

Before the half was up Hunt threatened again when he got his body in front of the away defender but Dorus De Vries grabbed the ball before the striker's out-stretched leg could get the all important touch. Moments later McCormack struck a great free-kick from the edge of the box but his effort went just wide.

United started well after the interval with both Stephen Warnock and Austin having shots from good attacking positions blocked by the away defence.

With 10 minutes of the second period gone United were handed a free-kick around 25-yards out when Jonathan Greening felled Hunt. McCormack took the resulting free-kick and it took a fantastic save from De Vries to deny the Scot.

Moments later a Hunt knock down from a Butland punt up field set up McCormack who was breaking forward. The ball just wouldn't sit up right for the striker and his shot went over the bar. Following the attack the United boss made his first change when Hunt was replaced by Smith.

United were the side asking all the questions in the second half but after a clever corner set-play the away side could have gone three goals ahead. The ball was played across United's goal but no Forest players gambled and the chance went by.

A quick United attack moments later led to Tonge having a strike at goal from inside the penalty area but with the midfielder off-balance he put the ball over the crossbar.

United continued to dominate the possession as the game headed towards its conclusion. United substitute Smith went close twice before the original 90 was over, once with a shot and then a header that went wide.

The fourth official's board showed five minutes would be added at the end of the game. Jason Pearce and Smith went close with headers in added time but Derbyshire's double in the first half proved to be enough for the visitors to take all three points.

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