Winless home run continues
Wolves 1 v Nottingham Forest 1
Famous for lace, DH Lawrence and a bloke called Robin Hood, Nottingham is also home to two football teams, a test match cricket ground and a half decent rugby union side. Adding to the sporting pedigree are Torvill and Dean - who were born in the City - but I’m not so sure that skating around an ice rink to the ever rising clamour of Ravel’s Bolero strictly counts as a sport. More ballet on skates.
Balletic is not a word one might make use of to describe the evening’s encounter. Workmanlike and functional were probably more suitable. Neither keeper was particularly stretched in open play and both goals came from set pieces.
It was the visitors who started the brighter with Nelson Oliveira and Ben Osborn looking lively. But on one of their rare forays into opposition territory in minute 14 Jordan Graham, who for all his trickery has a propensity to go down rather too easily, duped referee Keith Stroud into awarding a foul. From the ensuing free kick the same player delivered a stunning cross which begged to be headed home. Wolves centre back Ethan Ebanks-Landell duly obliged giving ex Wolves keeper Dorus DeVries no chance. Not long after Forest had the ball in the back of the net only for Chris O’Grady to be rightly judged offside.
Thereafter chances were scant until minute 79 when substitute Dexter Blackstock found himself in space at the back post. Contorting his body to meet the deep corner he volleyed home unchallenged, Ebanks-Landell possibly at fault. Five minutes later Wolves nearly regained the lead when Kevin McDonald’s goal bound volley was headed to safety by Daniel Pinillos. It would be the last serious attempt on a night when huffing and puffing prevailed.
Wolves: Ikeme 6, Iorfa 6, Batth 6, Ebanks-Landell 6, Golbourne 6, Henry 6, McDonald 6, Price 6, Edwards 6, Graham 7, Le Fondre 6 Sub Afobe
Nottingham Forest: deVries 6, Lichaj 6, Mills 6, Mancienne 6, Pinillos 7, Mendes da Graca 6 Sub Blackstock, Lansbury 6, Vaughan 6, Osborn 6 Sub Williams, Oliveira 6, O’Grady 5 Sub Ward
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Keith Stroud 7
©Mark Brennand