Nottingham Forest 1 Middlesbrough 0

Last updated : 20 February 2010 By Footymad Previewer
Billy Davies' Nottingham Forest secured nine consecutive home wins for the first time in the space of a season by beating Middlesbrough 1-0 to maintain the pressure on promotion rivals Newcastle United and West Brom.

A crisply taken goal from Chris Cohen was enough to seal victory over a battling Boro side and eclipse a record set by Brian Clough's Reds in 1980.

That side went on to win 12 home games on the bounce - but that run was split over two seasons.

Forest began in trademark fashion by trying to stroke the ball around the City Ground pitch but they lacked the composure to do any damage once they reached the final third.

The home side had an appeal for a penalty as a driven ball into the box from Paul Anderson clearly struck Steve McManus on the hand, but the defender had little chance to get out of the way.

It was Pole Raddy Majewski who began to have the most significant threat for the Reds, sending a swirling, dipping shot into the side-netting from the left side of the box - and then bending a 25-yard free-kick tantalisingly close, with a relieved Danny Coyne happy to see the strike hit the bar and bounce over.

A short spell of Middlesbrough pressure culminated in a swivelling shot from Scott McDonald, but the forward's effort was aimed right at Lee Camp who made a simple save.

Forest responded by pushing Boro onto the back foot, but the closest they came to a goal was when Anderson's dangerous cut-back from the left just eluded Robert Earnshaw at the near post.

The striker, who had netted his 150th goal in midweek, almost added another as Cohen flicked on a clearance from Camp, but Earnshaw's lifted shot dropped just over.

The second half saw Earnshaw come close again with a shot on the turn, although Coyne's save was a simple one at his near post, while Cohen bent a left-footed effort wide of the post from the right.

Kelvin Wilson did fire the ball into the back of the net after the Boro defence had failed to clear a Cohen corner, but the defender's celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.

Forest did finally breach the opposition defence in the 72nd minute as a swift counter-attack involving Majewski and Dexter Blackstock saw the striker pick out Cohen's surge into the box from the right, from where the midfielder slotted a precise finish inside the keeper's near post.

Camp had to produce a remarkable save to keep Forest ahead, plunging acrobatically to his left to palm away a vicious strike from sub Leroy Lita.