COCA-COLA LEAGUE ONE
Saturday December 15th, 3.00pm
City Ground

NOTTINGHAM FOREST 2
Lewis McGUGAN 15, Juinor AGOGO 90

Attendance: 17,081(1,291 Cobblers fans)

Forest: Paul SMITH, Kelvin WILSON, Matt LOCKWOOD (sub Neil LENNON 81), Luke CHAMBERS, Ian BRECKIN, James PERCH, Kris COMMONS (sub Junior AGOGO 66), Nathan TYSON, Arron DAVIES (sub Grant HOLT 74), Chris COHEN, Lewis McGUGAN
Substitutes not used: Wes MORGAN, Dale ROBERTS

Cobblers: Mark BUNN, Danny JACKMAN, Daniel JONES, Mark HUGHES, Liam DOLMAN, Jason CROWE, Joe BURNELL, Bradley JOHNSON (sub Brett JOHNSON 88), Ryan GILLIGAN (sub Dean BOWDITCH 62), Poul HUBERTZ (sub Colin LARKIN 75), Ian HENDERSON
Substitutes not used: Chris DUNN, Danny MAY

Referee: Mr C Penton

Booked:
Forest: Lewis McGUGAN (87)
Cobblers: Jason CROWE (31, 6th of the season), Liam DOLMAN (50, 4th), Ryan GILLIGAN (53, 5th -misses Doncaster Rovers 26/12/07), Mark HUGHES (57, 7th)

5 cautions on or before 28 February; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 8 April; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension

Sent off:
Forest: none
Cobblers: none

Sending offs: 2 cautions in one game; 1 match suspension but cautions do not count towards above totals. Other sendings off; 1 or 3 match suspension. Extra match ban for additional sendings off.

Northampton Town made the trip to the City Ground to take on a Nottingham Forest team in a good run of form at home. Forest had a record of 6 wins and 2 draws from their previous 8 home games in all competitions, conceding just 3 goals in that time.

Andy Holt was absent through an injury picked up in the previous game at Walsall, while Andy Kirk, Giles Coke and Chris Doig were also unavailable. Stuart Gray made two changes to the side that had played at the Banks's Stadium in midweek, with Bradley Johnson and Jason Crowe returning in place of Holt and Colin Larkin.

The Cobblers had the first effort at goal, Bradley Johnson firing wide from 25 yards on 2 minutes after Poul Hubertz had won the ball off Kelvin Wilson. Forest's first opportunity came after 13 minutes, Kris Commons sending in a shot from 20 yards that beat Mark Bunn but came back off the cross bar.

The home side had the lead in the 15th minute, Lewis McGugan firing home on the half volley after Kris Commons had played the ball back into his path. Moments later and Chris Cohen fed a neat ball through to Nathan Tyson, the speedy Forest striker only being denied by an excellent recovering tackle from Mark Hughes.

Jason Crowe was cautioned after a late challenge on James Perch, before being involved in action of a more positive note, curling a shot wide from the edge of the area.

Liam Dolman was booked in the opening stages of the second half after tripping Nathan Tyson. Gilligan was also cautioned, this time after a foul on Commons.

A curling effort from Poul Hubertz required a diving save from Paul Smith on 54 minutes, the Forest keeper just pushing the ball away from the onrushing Ian Henderson.

Hughes became the latest player to be booked as Mr Penton continued what appeared to be his challenge of trying to take the name of every Cobblers player, before Stuart Gray's side pulled level. Ryan Gilligan took advantage of some hesitant defending and delivered a cross that Poul Hubertz slid home from close range.

Stuart Gray then made his first change, bringing Dean Bowditch on for Gilligan, before Ian Henderson broke clear of the Forest defence but could not find the finish to beat Smith.

The Cobblers fans were sent into further raptures when Daniel Jones scored his first goal for the club, driving in a powerful low shot from 25 yards that beat Smith at his near post.

Forest immediately made a change, with Junior Agogo coming on for Commons.

The Cobblers continued to come forward, and Jason Crowe's long range effort had to be tipped over the bar by Smith, before Grant Holt replaced Arron Davies in Colin Calderwood's second change. For the Cobblers, Poul Hubertz was replaced by Colin Larkin.

Forest's final substitution saw Neil Lennon come on for Matt Lockwood.

Lewis McGugan became the first home player of the afternoon to be booked after going in over the top on Bradley Johnson. Worryingly for the Cobblers, Johnson had to leave the field on a stretcher. Namesake Brett came on to replace him.

The home side snatched a late equaliser in the final minute when Junior Agogo was in the right place to head home a corner.

FOREST MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 10
CORNERS: (6) 10
FOULS: (7) 15
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0

COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 5
CORNERS: (4) 6
FOULS: (7) 17
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (2) 5

The above stats are recorded by club staff. The stats shown elsewhere on this page are recorded by the Press Association.

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