With Derby unable to raise a side to face us, we headed into Nottingham early to take on Forest. Forest are a strong side, and we thought it would be a good warm up game for our game against Hearts next weekend.
Unfortunately, the only good thing to come from the game from our point of view, was that it was a wake up call!
In the first half we opted to kick downhill and with the wind – a tactic which has worked in the past, where we have built up a lead in the first half. However, within ten minutes we were 1-0 down. After clearing the ball, not all the Millers defence moved out together, playing one Forest lad onside, who received the ball and scored.
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IM bounced back though, and scored three consecutive goals. For the first Jebu headed in at the back post from a super-accurate cross from Gaz. For the second goal Steve shot, and with the Forest keeper unable to hold the shot, Jebu was first to the ball to hammer home. The third goal was scored where Steve ran onto a through ball by Jebu, and the volleyed past the keeper.
Forest then scored in controversial circumstances. We won a free kick in out own half, and went to take it quickly. A Forest player ran across and blokced the free kick. Everyone expected the free kick to be re-taken, and argued witht he referee. In the mean time, Forest played through their winger, who crossed for their forward, who headed in. It was harsh on us, but in future we must learn to concentrate on defending rather than rowing with the referee, however wrong they are.
IM then thought they had extended their lead just before half time, where Jebu’s Maradonna impression went unnoticed by the referee, only for the Forest linesman to flag for handball.
Half Time: 3-2.
We were always likely to be up against it after half time kicking uphill and against the wind. Furthermore the nice match ball had been exchanged for a rock, which was impossible for defenders to clear further than 20 metres, and also caused broken skulls all round!
Almost immediately after half time though, a Forest defenders mistake allowed Steve to nip in and score. Surely we’d win now, wouldn’t we?!
The rest of the half is too painful to speak about in detail. In short, it went like this….
Forest scored, and again, and again, and again…..
At least one goal came from an unnoticed (this time) Maradonna impression, another from my dodgy back-headers, and another from a badly played offside trap.
Never mind though, let’s just hope it will give us a kick up the backside, and we’ll go to Hearts next week and do the biz.
Watch this space for updates.