Nottingham Forest allowed Joe Lolley to leave the club during the summer, with Sydney FC taking a chance on the forward. On Saturday, he claimed another Man of the Match accolade despite a 2-1 defeat against Central Coast Mariners.
Lolley has taken to the A-League pretty well. He was given the choice to join the Australian outfit in the summer and it was one that he jumped at following a frustrating 2021/22 campaign.
The left-footed star was in and out of the team under Steve Cooper. He registered just two goal contributions all season and at 30-years-old, he was naturally keen to play more frequently.
Lolley is having a blast in Sydney. He’s playing with a smile on his face and it would appear that he’s keen to make up for the time he lost sitting on the bench at Forest for the majority of last season.
On Saturday, the team didn’t get the result they craved. It’s been something of an inconsistent start for Sydney FC and this defeat came the subject of two goals just before half-time.
Lolley was constantly probing though and he’s showcasing the sort of form that Forest fans know he’s capable of. He spent close to five years and the City Ground and quickly became a fan favourite.
There was a former Reds teammate of Lolley’s in the Central Coast line-up on Saturday. Jason Cummings returned from his World Cup participation with Australia and started against Lolley.
Lolley claimed Man of the Match accolade
The ex-Forest man has really caught the eye of his new fans with his performances. He’s already netted three goals and claimed one assist during his short time in Australia.
Lolley made 171 appearances for the Reds during his time at Forest. He scored 26 goals during that time as well as registering 27 assists.
It might have proved frustrating that he never got a crack at the Premier League with the club. Ultimately, he wouldn’t have played, however, and that would have frustrated him.
Now, he’s busy making a name for himself in the A-League. Another Man of the Match accolade is bound to delight him and he will hope to continue kicking on as the season progresses.