Nottingham Forest 0 Sheffield Weds 3: Resurgent Owls issue statement of intent to rivals

WHAT a difference a week makes.
Sheffield Wednesday goalscorer Gary Hooper, left, and Barry Bannan rush to thank goal provider Fernando Forestieri.Sheffield Wednesday goalscorer Gary Hooper, left, and Barry Bannan rush to thank goal provider Fernando Forestieri.
Sheffield Wednesday goalscorer Gary Hooper, left, and Barry Bannan rush to thank goal provider Fernando Forestieri.

Seven days on from a bitter dosage of derby pain administered by Rotherham United, the wall-to-wall smiles were back among the 1,841 Wednesdayites in the Bridgford Stand following an afternoon that was largely of the picture-book variety.

On a Spring day when a serene walk by the nearby Trent in the milky sunshine had its attractions, the Owls produced a graceful performance that was as effortless as the strokes made by those who ventured out from the rowing station at the back of the City Ground and onto the water.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Not that Wednesday were for messing about by the river as they made light of some recent travails to outclass a Forest side who looked out of their depth, though not helped by some desperate injury problems.

Forest supporters may have been afforded a delicious rewind to some halcyon days when Brian Clough was king of all he surveyed in recent hit-film I Believe In Miracles, but the here and now does not look so alluring.

Wednesday are firmly in the present. Forest fans may have witnessed wonders under ‘Ol’ Big Head’, but Carlos Carvalhal has his own dream and the Owls team he is building can already savour some enlightened moments this season, including Saturday.

Sixth-placed Owls made the short trip south seeking their first victory in six league matches and were entitled to look a tad anxiously over their shoulders, but their display was warm and reassuring.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It yielded a raft of positives. There was a maiden strike for the club from Aiden McGeady, a late cameo crowned by a goal for Marco Matias, a third successive clean sheet on the road and a collective midfield performance that moved through the gears smoothly for large parts.

The only blemish arrived on 76 minutes when Barry Bannan was dismissed for a challenge on ex-Aston Villa team-mate Eric Lichaj, which looked a soft award, although the midfield man’s slightly resigned expression immediately afterwards was revealing.

Yet it did not inhibit the Owls from further self-expression as they shrugged off the numerical disadvantage not only to see out the game in comfort, but add to their tally through Matias’s strike five minutes from time.

If that was not a barometer of the visitors’ dominance, nothing was on an afternoon when the sight of Fernando Foresteri back to his impish best up front after his recent on-pitch ‘issues’ was also like being greeted by an old friend.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On an enriching afternoon, Gary Hooper – who took his seasonal tally to 11 goals with the Owls’ killer second just after the hour mark after profiting from Forestieri’s alert work – said: “It was a massive three points as we have had a few draws. We have just got to keep going, keep winning and worry about ourselves.

“It was a statement and we got on top, kept the ball really well and it was a nice clean sheet.

“I think the performance is up there with the best. But I still think we have got a few more to come. We had a couple of losses against Rotherham and Preston, but I thought they were good points at Hull and Brighton and have now kicked on from our Brighton performance when everyone defended well.

“Here, we did that and took our chances. This gets us going again, getting ready for the play-offs.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On his partnership with Forestieri, Hooper, just one league goal behind him, said: “We work really well. We know when to press and when not to and it showed in the first two goals.

“But it doesn’t matter who finishes top scorer as long as we win.”

Wednesday’s route to a first double over Forest since 1996-97 was pretty stress-free, aside from short spells at the start of each half when the hosts suggested they may bring offerings to the table, only to meekly lose their way.

After a probing start, the Owls took control, with Forest, minus the midfield sorcery of Andy Reid and Henri Lansbury and with forwards Britt Assombalonga and Matty Fryatt on an extensive injury list, lacking the wit to do too much about it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Up front, ex-Owls striker Chris O’Grady foraged for scraps but got no change out of the rock-solid Glenn Loovens and Tom Lees.

The Owls, who went closest through the marauding Forestieri in the first half-hour, deservedly went in front on 30 minutes when Forestieri dispossessed Gary Gardner before Bannan surged forward and supplied McGeady with a lovely weighted pass and he gave Lichaj the slip before emphatically firing home.

Subdued Forest’s response was low-key with Bannan’s crisp strike testing Dorus De Vries before Joel Grant headed straight at Westwood in a rare moment of home enterprise.

Forest briefly hinted at better things on the restart, but the fire soon abated and the Owls sealed the deal on 62 minutes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Again, they were indebted to some persistence from Forestieri, who robbed the dithering Matt Mills before teeing up Hooper, who finished tidily.

Against deflated hosts, whose sole moment of danger saw Chris Cohen’s shot tipped over, the outcome was firmly in the bag, with the only indiscretion coming when Bannan saw red.

But it did not stop Matias adding a well-taken third with his first goal since the end of August after latching onto Nuhiu’s flick-on. This was a job very thoroughly well done by the Owls, who registered their biggest league away win since October, 2012.

It also spelled the end for Forest manager Dougie Freedman, who was yesterday sacked by chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi.