Nottingham Forest 3-1 Luton Town: Joe Lolley double helps lift Reds to fifth
Joe Lolley helped lift Nottingham Forest to within five points of the automatic promotion places after scoring twice as they came from behind to beat Luton Town.
A fine low finish from Hatters forward Harry Cornick, who met Dan Potts’ cross, gave the Championship’s bottom side a deserved lead after they had piled early pressure on the high-flying hosts.
Simon Sluga’s failure to deal with a tame shot from Lolley, which squeezed in at the near post, allowed Forest back into the game, although the Croatian goalkeeper did atone when he saved well from a Joe Worrall header to ensure it remained all square at the break.
There, however, was no stopping Lolley’s second as the forward cut in off the right wing before unleashing a swerving shot that left Luton facing a 10th successive league defeat away from home.
Lewis Grabban then took his goal tally to 15 for the season, adding a late third from the penalty spot after Sonny Bradley blocked a Tiago Silva free-kick with his arm.
- Relive Forest’s win over Luton
Forest’s fourth win in a five-game unbeaten run took them to fifth in the table, equal on points with fourth-placed Brentford. Sabri Lamouchi’s side also have a game in hand on three of the sides above them, the exception being league leaders West Brom who host Stoke City on Monday night.
While 23 points and 18 places separated the two sides before kick-off, it was the Hatters who made the brighter start with Potts sending an effort just over early on before he linked up well with Kazenga LuaLua to tee up Cornick up for the opening goal.
Forest’s equaliser was one that Sluga should have dealt with 13 minutes later, but Luton did have the keeper to thank as they started the second-half level after he kept out Worrall’s close-range header.
A fiercely struck shot from Lolley edged Forest ahead and he threatened again on numerous occasions, while substitute Sammy Ameobi also went close before Grabban completed the win.
Reaction
Nottingham Forest head coach Sabri Lamouchi:
“I’m happy with the result, to win at home in front of our fans is important, but we need to play much better than we did in the first half.
“I don’t know why we start like this. We suffered a lot, couldn’t make three passes in a row, but luckily we equalised before the break and the commitment was much better than the first half.
“The last time Nottingham forest played the play-offs was a long time ago. I’m not so crazy to imagine something (promotion) impossible.
“Some people can start to believe but my job is just to focus on the next game and we will see where we will be.
“We need to play much better than now. Do you think Nottingham Forest can get promoted automatically playing like that in the first half? The answer is no.”
Luton Town boss Graeme Jones:
“I don’t think everything went for us, but I’m satisfied with the first-half performance.
“We’ve got to start putting up positive results and I really believe with everybody fit – if we bring people in it will help – we’ll have a chance.”
“It’s about us taking our destiny in our own hands.”
Line-ups
Nottm Forest
Substitutes
Luton
Substitutes
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Nottingham Forest 3, Luton Town 1.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Nottingham Forest 3, Luton Town 1.
Attempt missed. Yuri Ribeiro (Nottingham Forest) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a set piece situation.
Booking
Dan Potts (Luton Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sammy Ameobi (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Dan Potts (Luton Town).
Substitution
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. João Carvalho replaces Tiago Silva.
Hand ball by James Collins (Luton Town).
Goal!
Goal! Nottingham Forest 3, Luton Town 1. Lewis Grabban (Nottingham Forest) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.
Penalty conceded by Sonny Bradley (Luton Town) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
Attempt blocked. Tiago Silva (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Booking
Ryan Tunnicliffe (Luton Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ryan Tunnicliffe (Luton Town).
Tiago Silva (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by James Bree (Luton Town).
Foul by Michael Dawson (Nottingham Forest).
Elliot Lee (Luton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Ryan Yates replaces Joe Lolley.
Tiago Silva (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ryan Tunnicliffe (Luton Town).
Corner, Luton Town. Conceded by Brice Samba.
Attempt saved. James Collins (Luton Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by George Moncur.
Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by James Collins.
Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by James Bree.
Joe Lolley (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Dan Potts (Luton Town).
Matthew Cash (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by James Collins (Luton Town).
Substitution
Substitution, Luton Town. Elliot Lee replaces Glen Rea.
Offside, Nottingham Forest. Michael Dawson tries a through ball, but Joe Lolley is caught offside.
Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Matty Pearson.
Attempt blocked. Sammy Ameobi (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Yuri Ribeiro.
Attempt missed. Joe Worrall (Nottingham Forest) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Tiago Silva with a cross following a set piece situation.
Yuri Ribeiro (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by George Moncur (Luton Town).
Substitution
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Sammy Ameobi replaces Albert Adomah.
Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Dan Potts.
Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Dan Potts.
Attempt saved. Lewis Grabban (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Tiago Silva with a cross.
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