Nottingham Forest failed to secure back-to-back wins as they were beaten 2-0 by Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium.
After picking up a huge win against Derby County, the Reds would’ve come into this game full of confidence. However, they were unable to produce the same level of performance and were subsequently punished.
Martin O’Neill’s side got off to the worst possible start. Peter Etebo found the back of the net from the edge of the area following a swift counter-attack from the hosts. In truth, the Reds never managed to recover and were toothless throughout.
Their misery was compounded in the second half as Benik Afobe capitalised on another lapse in concentration to double his side’s advantage. The Potters thoroughly deserved the three points which ended their six-game winless run.
A missed opportunity
It’s another huge missed opportunity for the Reds. They could’ve moved to within one point of the play-offs had they picked up three points. Derby County and Birmingham both lost, whilst Bristol City were held to a draw by Preston. There won’t be many weekends where the results go in their favour to this extent.
In short, O’Neill’s side have little chance of overturning the four point gap unless their away form improves. They still haven’t won away since they beat Hull City at the KCOM Stadium on 24 November. Together with the fact they’ve only won back-to-back games once all season, their chances of making the top six look slim.
‘Classic Forest’
Following the conclusion of Saturday’s match, Seat Pitch rounded up exactly what Reds supporters had to say about the game.
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