Late strike leaves Forest still pointless
ZINCKERNAGEL HITS A CRACKER BUT REDS SUFFER AT SET-PIECES
NOTTINGHAM Forest remain without a point in the Championship this season after going down 2-1 at home to Blackburn Rovers.
Only Preston North End are keeping the Reds off the bottom at the moment with an inferior goal difference and they are the only two teams who have yet to take a point.
It was another hugely disappointing night, with Forest starting the game well but twice being undone by set-pieces.
Joe Lolley was missing from the Forest squad, with illness given as the reason.
The Reds came out to a crowd of almost 24,000, a good show of faith from the Garibaldi faithful.
And Forest made a decent start. Within two minutes, neat play by Brennan Johnson had sent Alex Mighten free down the left, where he was faced by Hayden Carter, normally a centre-half, lining up at right-back for Blackburn.
Mighten passed to Phillip Zinckernagel but his shot was blocked.
Brice Samba had his first action of the night after four minutes, saving a Sam Gallagher header from Blackburn’s first corner.
Back at the other end, Lewis Grabban went down in the area under a challenge but nothing was given and when Zinckernagel picked up the loose ball, he shot straight at Thomas Kaminski.
The Dane was at the heart of Forest’s early efforts and soon had a long-range shot turned away for a corner by Kaminski.
Zinckernagel took this but the flag-kick bypassed everyone.
It had been a good start by Forest but they were forced into a change after 17 minutes when Jordi Oseitutu went down injured. He tried to continue, could not and was replaced by Finley Back.
Blackburn had a good chance after 21 minutes but Sambas saved from John Buckley.
Forest had had the better of the first half-hour but tailed off somewhat towards the break and there was palpable tension from the City Ground crowd.
Lovely footwork from Zinckernagel gave him space to whip in a cross towards Grabban after 39 minutes but the Forest striker was penalised for a push.
There were a few boos around the ground as the first half ended goalless but things got worse two minutes after the break when Blackburn took the lead.
Not for the first time, a set-piece was Forest’s problem, Harry Pickering whipped in a free kick and Daniel Ayala got to it first to head his first goal for the club.
Jack Colback was booked after 54 minutes for a challenge on Buckley after the whistle had already gone and a section of the crowd were now chanting for Joao Carvalho.
They got their wish after 63 minutes when he replaced Mighten – but the fans would also rather have seen Mighten stay on.
Gallagher was booked for Blackburn for a challenge on Jordan Gabriel after 66 minutes.
Then, three minutes later, the Reds were level almost out of nothing and it was Zinckernagel with the magic moment.
He cut inside on to his left foot and hit a stunning strike into the net, via the post, from outside the box.
Carter followed Gallagher into the book after 71 minutes, also for a challenge on Gabriel.
Three minutes later, Blackburn made a double change as Jacob Davenport and Harry Chapman replaced Tyrhys Dolan and Joe Rothwell.
Zinckernagel tried again from range after 78 minutes but without the same venom and Kaminski gathered the shot easily.
Buckley’s shot from distance for Blackburn after 82 minutes was saved by Samba, before Gabriel was booked himself, for a challenge on Chapman.
Colback made way for Tyrese Fornah after 85 minutes but, almost immediately, Blackburn regained the lead.
Again, it followed a set-piece as Chapman sent in a free kick, Samba could not hold on to it, Gallagher’s header was cleared off the line by Scott Mckenna but Darragh Lenihan was in the right place to nod in the loose ball.
Forest were down to 10 men in the last minute of normal time when Gabriel’s challenge on Chapman earned him his second yellow card.
Five minutes of stoppage time were signalled for Forest to try to salvage something but they were unable to.
All three games have now been lost by the same scoreline and the Reds left the field to a chorus of boos.