Dalsgaard gives Bees victory at Forest
Nottingham Forest 0 Brentford 1
Brentford kept their hopes of reaching the play-offs alive as Henrik Dalsgaard’s strike gave them victory at the City Ground.
The Bees now sit four points adrift of the play-off zone but Aitor Karanka’s side have now failed to score in six consecutive Championship games.
It could have been different for the hosts though as Ben Brereton and Adlene Guedioura were both denied by the woodwork, while Daniel Bentley made big saves to twice deny Lee Tomlin and Joe Lolley.
But while Forest paid the price for their lack of killer instinct, Dalsgaard showed his in the 81st minute, to head home the only goal of the game.
Forest did not look like a side lacking in confidence, during a first half they largely dominated.
Lolley cut in from the right and hit a left-foot shot that forced the first save from Bentley, in the opening moments.
The Brentford keeper was called into action again when Tomlin let fly from just outside the box and Ben Watson then sent a prodded effort spinning just wide.
The Bees did have a half-decent penalty claim turned down when Romaine Sawyers tumbled in the box after Tendayi Darikwa had chased him into the area and appeared to make contact from behind.
But that was the visitors’ most dangerous moment in the first period, with Brereton seeing a spectacular dipping effort beat Bentley, but not the woodwork, as it bounced away cruelly off the bar.
Guedioura was then denied by the upright, after a driving run from Tomlin had created chaos in the Brentford defence, only for the Algerian international’s angled shot to skim the outside of the post.
Within two minutes of the restart Brereton seemed to have broken clear of the Brentford defence, but hesitated in costly fashion, allowing them to recover and scramble clear.
There was no hesitation from Tomlin when he latched onto a ball from Darikwa and hammered a shot that Bentley conjured up another big save to keep out.
Brentford were starting to find their feet as well, with Sergi Canos stretching to prod a good chance wide, following a flowing counter. Neal Maupay also missed the target when he might have done better.
Forest had a penalty claim of their own turned down when Tomlin went down under pressure from John Egan.
But it was to be Brentford who were to make the breakthrough, as a cleverly worked corner saw Josh McEachran provide a perfect cross for Dalsgaard to head home.
[/themify_box]
