Leeds United 0 Nottingham Forest 1: Evans does not gloss over fact that '˜some players are not good enough'

An unsatisfactory week for Leeds ended in more disappointment on Saturday as Nelson Oliveira’s header sealed a 1-0 win for Forest at Elland Road.

Five days after failing to recruit a single player on transfer deadline day, United again lacked a cutting edge with striker Chris Wood facing another two weeks out with a fresh hamstring problem.

United’s best and, in reality, only chance arrived after just three minutes when Stuart Dallas produced a peach of a cross from the right flank which Souleymane Doukara connected with and headed just wide.

Forest, though, twice went close in the first half with Gary Gardner’s vicious effort smashing the United crossbar before Robert Tesche volleyed just wide with the goal gaping.

Leeds then offered no real goal threat after the interval and were undone just before the hour-mark when a right-flank cross from Gardner picked out Oliveira unmarked amid claims for offside.

The striker connected with a low header and while Marco Silvestri attempted to save, the ball squirmed its way into the bottom right corner to give the visitors the lead.

For Leeds, there was no way back, much to Evans’s dismay.

“I’ll give credit to Nottingham Forest,” said the Whites head coach.

“They had one chance and they took it. It’s difficult when you play against 10 or 11 men who camp in behind the ball but it’s how they play. They’re getting results. I’d rather watch paint dry but when you get results, you’re winning while you’re watching paint dry.

“At the moment, we don’t have the quality of player to get on the end of crosses. Our £3m player (Chris Wood) was sitting in the stand injured.

“The problem is that some players are not good enough and the fans recognise that. A lot of money has been spent here on wages but all clubs have a budget.”

The defeat leaves United’s season going nowhere with the Whites 16th, 14 points off the play-offs and 11 above the drop-zone ahead of the encounter with second-placed Middlesbrough a week on Monday.

United were lucky not to go 2-0 down immediately after Forest’s opener when a pile-driver from Robert Tesche went just over the bar.

With 20 minutes remaining, Evans brought on Mustapha Carayol for Dallas, after which United won a free-kick 30 yards out but Giuseppe Bellusci’s woeful effort went straight into the feet of the wall.

Forest were then denied what looked a clear penalty when Bellusci took down Ben Osborn inside the area.

United’s predicament was perfectly summed up with 11 minutes remaining when Carayol delivered a fine low delivery across the Forest area without a single United player in the vicinity.

In search of new options, Evans brought on Lee Erwin for Toumani Diagouraga with 10 minutes left but it was still Forest who looked more threatening and Osborn’s effort was well held by Silvestri.

Oliveira then curled a long-range effort wide and that proved his final act before being brought off for Dexter Blackstock.

Evans made his final change by bringing on Tom Adeyemi for Scott Wootton with one minute left and United were given four minutes of stoppage time to salvage a draw.

But it never looked like happening, with plenty of United fans already heading for the exits long before the fourth minute of stoppage-time. The final whistle was greeted by a few boos.

Evans added: “We got into good areas and got enough crosses into the box but we’re missing a big striker like Chris Wood.

“What we’re not going to do is be reckless and pay an amount for a player which is out of synch with what this club is about.”

Leeds United: Silvestri, Wootton (Adeyemi 89), Bellusci, Cooper, Taylor, Cook, Bridcutt, Diagouraga (Erwin 81), Dallas (Carayol 70), Doukara, Antenucci. Unused substitutes: Peacock-Farrell, Coyle, Bamba, Murphy.

Nottingham Forest: De Vries, Lichaj, Mills, Mancienne, Jokic, Vaughan, Tesche, Gardner, Osborn, Ward (Burke 75), Oliveira (Blackstock 89). Unused substitutes: Evtimov, Cohen, Hobbs, Mendes, Grant.

Referee: S Duncan (Northumberland).

Man of the match: Nelson Oliveira.