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Nottingham Forest logo
Championship
Jan 30, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Watford logo

4-2

Cox (58', 90'), Henderson (73'), Mackie (82')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Angella (33', 47')

Live Commentary: Nottingham Forest 4-2 Watford - as it happened

Read how Nottingham Forest come from 2-0 down to extend their Championship unbeaten run and defeat Watford 4-2.
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Two sides in completely different form met at the City Ground in Thursday night's Championship match.

Home side Nottingham Forest were on a nine-game unbeaten run and made it 10 by coming from 2-0 down to win 4-2 in a thrilling game.

Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.


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Evening folks! Tonight there's a rare Championship game between Forest and Watford. Just half an hour until kickoff so there's no time to waste. Let's get straight to the teams...

FOREST XI: Darlow; Lichaj, Lascelles, Collins, Harding; Jara, Moussi; Paterson, Reid, Abdoun; Halford

FOREST SUBS: De Vries, Majewski, Mackie, Henderson, Derbyshire, Cox, Tudgay

WATFORD XI: Almunia; Doyley, Angella, Ekstrand; Faraoni, Murray, Battocchio, Pudil; Anya; Forestieri, Deeney

WATFORD SUBS: Bond, Cassetti, Merkel, Abdi, Bellerin, Hall, Fabbrini

Okey doke. Forest remain without Henri Lansbury, who is serving the last game of his ban. Elsewhere, defender-turned-striker Greg Halford gets the nod to lead the line for the hosts, with Simon Cox dropping to the bench. There are several other changes from their last game in the FA Cup against Preston, with Jamaal Lascelles, Dan Harding, Guy Moussi and Djamel Abdoun all back in the starting lineup.

Watford, meanwhile, make just one change from their game at Manchester City in the fourth round of the Cup. Captain Manuel Almunia is back in goal in place of Jonathan Bond.

The Hornets put up a great fight on Saturday at the Etihad, spetacularly going 2-0 up at half time before City and their superstars turned it around to win 4-2.


H2H: Watford are unbeaten in four games against Forest, with the reverse fixture between these two finishing as a 1-1 draw back in August.

Click here to see how the table looks ahead of this match. Forest can't move up any places with a win but will cement their fifth-place position in the playoffs. A defeat by three or more goals will see the hosts drop to sixth.

Watford, meanwhile, start the day in 16th but do have three games in hand on many teams around them. A win today will see them rise three places to 13th.

PREDICTION TIME! Just five minutes separates us from kickoff at the City Ground so I best make my pre-game prediction. It's tough to look past Forest but I don't expect them to be all that convincing. A narrow win for the hosts, 2-1.

The teams are out and we're about ready to go in the East Midlands. Both in their home colours of red and yellow respectively.

KICKOFF! Tonight's referee, Simon Hooper, gets us underway on what is a wet evening.

CLOSE! Forest send over a dangerous cross from the right that Angella deals with. The Hornets then streak up the other end and some lovely passing ends with Deeney bending a 20-yard shot just over the crossbar.

Forest's three new signings, Rafik Djebbour, Danny Fox and Kevin Gomis, were presented to the City Ground before kickoff. None ready to play tonight.

The home supporters are encouraged as Lichaj wins a corner. Reid goes over to take it but it's gathered easily by Almunia.

OFF THE BAR! We're ever so close to the opening goal as Collins heads against the bar. How has he missed?! Reid sent over a free kick that Moussi headed back across goal to Collins, who somehow could only head against the frame of the goal from six yards. One of the worst misses I've seen this season.

Watford go down the other end and win a corner that Anya curls over. Angella takes the ball on the volley, connecting well but getting too much on it and sidefooting over.

The visitors started well but Forest are now the ones looking more dangerous. Abdoun is picked out at the back post but can only volley into the turf and wide.

Angella is certainly putting himself about in the Forest area. From the latest Watford corner he wants a penalty as he feels that he was hauled down. Little in it though and referee Hooper rightly shakes his head.

It's been a quiet few minutes. Both sides are keen to put the ball on the deck but the slippery conditions aren't helping.

Terrible defending from Forest as they allow Forestieri to get to the byline. He crosses low for Faraoni, who takes an awfully heavy touch to put the ball out of play.



Watford have conceded plenty of free kicks and allowed Reid's accurate left foot the chance to whip it into the danger area. His latest delivery is met by Halford, who heads over, but he was offside.

SHOT! Paterson shimmies past one, then two players before hitting low with his left. It's not close enough to the corner and Almunia makes the stop.

GOAL! FOREST 0-1 WATFORD (ANGELLA)

I said that Angella had looked dangerous from set pieces and this time he finds the net with a simply brilliant finish! Anya's corner was low and the Italian improvised by flicking the ball on the volley with his back to goal past Darlow. Jara was on the line but could only head against the bar and in. Amazing goal.

CHANCE! It should probably be two for the visitors as they break through Forestieri down the right. He cuts inside but instead of looking for a teammate, fakes and then tries to pass the ball through a load of bodies. It's blocked quickly and Forest escape.

BOOKING! The first card of the game is shown to Ekstrand, who cynically brought down Paterson.

CHANCE! Dear oh dear, Forest aren't going to get back in this if they squander chances like that. Reid curled over the resulting free kick and there was Halford with a free header. He has to at least test Almunia but can only send it over.

CLOSE! Both sides have had plenty of chances in what has been a to-and-fro first half. Watford hit the side-netting as Anya beats Harding to the byline before crossing for Deeney, who sidefoots a volley past Darlow but also the post as well.

Watford look ever so dangerous on the counter but they have been wasteful. Once again it's Forestieri who has time and space but has his shot blocked.

BOOKING! That's two of Watford's three centre-backs in the book now as Angella stupidly blocks Darlow's kick when retreating from a corner. No need to do it and he'll have to be careful for the remaining 50 minutes or so now.

Harding curls over a vicious cross from the left that Almunia decides is too hot to catch and swipes away from the area.

The hosts are pressing and looking for an equaliser as the fourth official indicates that there will be two minutes of added time before the break.

HALF-TIME: FOREST 0-1 WATFORD

Hooper brings a thoroughly entertaining first half to an end. Both sides have had numerous chances but the one and only goal that's been scored was from by far the hardest of them.

As a centre-back, it's unlikely that Angella will ever score a goal like that again. If someone like Cristiano Ronaldo had done it, it would be all over the Internet for weeks!

Looking at the stats, Forest are dominating possession with 66% of the ball but both teams have only had one shot on target.

The hosts have also hit the woodwork when Collins somehow headed agains the bar from six yards instead of finding the back of the net. Terrible, terrible miss.

Although Forest have had plenty of the ball, they look extremely vulnerable on the counter-attack and if Forestieri in particular had been more clinical on the break, Watford could be further ahead.



FOREST SUB: Nottingham manager Billy Davies wastes no time in shaking things up, bringing on Simon Cox for Greg Halford.

KICKOFF! The hosts restart the game and immediately go on the attack.

Paterson's cutback is so close to reaching Abdoun at the back post before the ball is at Reid's feet and he tests Almunia with a stinging 20-yard drive.

GOAL! FOREST 0-2 WATFORD (ANGELLA)

Deary me, Forest have promotion ambitions but will never go up with defending like this. Watford have a free kick on the left and it's curled in for Angella to head beyond Darlow for his second. It's almost indescribable how bad the defending is. Angella was a threat in the air all first half but instead of marking him better, the hosts allow him a completely free header. Shocking.

As mentioned above, Watford have won just one game since the end of October. So this really is upsetting the form book.

SAVE! Angella hauls down Abdoun to give Forest a free kick just outside the area. Reid steps up and whips it powerfully over the wall but it's too central and Almunia tips over the crossbar.

GOAL! FOREST 1-2 WATFORD (COX)

The home side needed a goal and they have one to half the deficit. Abdoun picked out Moussi's back-post run where the midfielder nodded across the face of goal for Cox to sweep home from just a few yards out. Forest's fans got restless when the ball was passed back out to Abdoun but it proved to be the right move.

WATFORD SUB: Sannino makes a change instantly, bringing off the disappointing Forestieri for the reassuring midfield presence of Almen Abdi.

It wouldn't surprise me if Forest did complete the turnaround now. Cox has just headed straight at Almunia as the hosts turn up the pressure.

However, if Watford were dangerous on the counter in the first half, they will be even more menacing if Forest pile more bodies forward.

Sannino knows that he has a game on his hands and is remonstrating overzealously on the sidelines.

Moments later the Italian manager falls over in the slippery conditions to the delight of the crowd. He'll have to get that crisp suit to the dry cleaners tomorrow.

FOREST SUB: Davies goes two up front by sending on former Hornet Darius Henderson in place of Abdoun.

FOREST 2-2 WATFORD (HENDERSON)

What an impact from the big forward! Forest are level and it's Reid, who has been so important for them this season, that provides an outrageous pass. He swiped heavily across the ball to pick out Henderson at the back post with a swerving cross. Defending was again suspect but a good finish from Hendo.

WATFORD SUB: Abdi's time on the field lasts just 15 minutes as he has to be withdrawn because of injury. Marco Cassetti on in his place.

It's been such an open game and it really feels like there will be a winner in the final 10 minutes or so.

SHOT! The Hornets have their first effort for a while as Battocchio shifts onto his right foot and fires for the corner. Darlow clearly gets his fingertips to it but a goal kick is signalled.

SUBS: Both managers make their third and final change as we enter the final 10 minutes. Diego Fabbrini comes on for Ikechi Anya for the visitors, while Jamie Mackie takes Jamie Paterson's place for Forest.

GOAL! FOREST 3-2 WATFORD (MACKIE)

Amazing, all three of Forest's goals have been scored by Davies's substitutions. They complete a memorable second-half turnaround as Reid clips a delicious cross into Mackie, who rises up to head past Almunia. Again, it's questionable defending.

I wouldn't say that Forest have been brilliant in this second half. It's more to do with Watford's often lazy, mindless defending.

Murray has had two chances to put a good ball in the area in the last couple of minutes but fluffed both. First he duffed a corner then overhit a free kick from the left.

GOAL! FOREST 4-2 WATFORD (COX)

The home side seal the points as Cox sidefoots a volley into the far corner for his second. Good finish, but again Sannino must be wondering what his defence is doing.

FIVE minutes of time have been added on at the end of the game. As end-to-end as this game has been, surely Watford are out of it now.

SAVE! Cox tries to put the icing on the cake by getting a hat-trick, but his fierce shot is palmed over the bar by Almunia.

FULL-TIME: FOREST 4-2 WATFORD

A quite astonishing game of football comes to an end. Forest make it 10 games in a row unbeaten while Watford's torrid form continues.

Davies will be lauded after his three substitutes scored the all-important goals for Forest. However, the hosts comeback was more down to the horrendous defending from the visitors. No wonder they're in such a rut at the moment.

That win takes Forest within eight points of second-place Queens Park Rangers. They are also seven clear of Ipswich Town in seventh so look set in the playoffs. Watford remain 16th, just seven points clear of the drop zone.

Anyway, thanks for joining us for coverage tonight. The Championship returns on SM this weekend so make sure you come back then. Goodnight!

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A general view of the City Ground, home of Nottingham Forest on April 7, 2012
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3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
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5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
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11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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