Swans win at Forest to climb to fourth

Swansea Metropolis climbed to fourth within the Championship as Connor Roberts’ towering header gave them victory at Nottingham Forest.

Wales defender Roberts rose excessive to place his crew in entrance simply earlier than half-time and Forest couldn’t discover a response.

They had been crushed on the Metropolis Floor for the primary time underneath Chris Hughton, who had taken eight factors from his 4 earlier dwelling video games, and stay twenty first within the desk.

Hughton’s males requested questions at occasions however had been stored at bay by Swansea who, having conceded solely eight Championship targets in 2020-21, have the most effective defensive file in English soccer’s prime 4 divisions.

They’ve misplaced solely two of their 14 league video games since defeat in final season’s play-offs and proceed to appear to be a crew able to mounting one other promotion push.

Forest started the competition with objective, Sammy Ameobi making an early burst down the left earlier than centring for Lyle Taylor, whose shot rolled throughout the face of objective.

Hughton has made Forest arduous to beat on their very own patch, they usually had been placing strain on Swansea’s defence for a lot of the primary half.

The hosts must have gone forward on 39 minutes, when Anthony Knockaert lower in from the precise flank on to his stronger left foot, solely to drill a shot straight at Freddie Woodman, who kicked the ball clear.

Let off the hook, Swansea made Forest pay because of Roberts’ prodigious leap.

Andre Ayew lofted a hopeful ball into the penalty space which Forest centre-back Scott McKenna flicked in direction of the again put up, the place wing-back Roberts rose excessive above the 6ft 4in Ameobi to position a header past Brice Samba and put his crew forward.

There was virtually no celebration from Roberts, whose reward for scoring for the primary time this season was a bang within the face which prompted a prolonged spell of therapy.

Swansea threatened to double their lead early within the second interval, with Ayew flashing one acrobatic volley vast earlier than a second effort was blocked.

Forest attacked once more, with the house bench interesting – unconvincingly it should be stated – for a penalty as Taylor failed to attach with a volley underneath strain from Ryan Bennett.

Knockaert dragged a half-volley vast earlier than Taylor headed properly over the bar, which means Swansea and Roberts might lastly have a good time his decisive objective.

Nottingham Forest supervisor Chris Hughton:

“I definitely do not assume we must always have misplaced that sport on the steadiness of play however credit score to Swansea as a result of they managed the sport very properly after the objective they usually defended very properly after they needed to.

“It is a comparable story for us the place we have had good intervals of possession within the closing third however we now have to have the ability to capitalise on these intervals and we’re not doing that in the meanwhile.

“In opposition to crew like Swansea you are not going to get many clear-cut possibilities and that is why I am disillusioned that we did not take those that got here alongside for us.

“After an honest first seven video games for myself, we have now gone into a very disappointing three-game interval and what we now have to do is get ourselves out of this era as shortly as doable and that has to begin on Wednesday.”

Swansea head coach Steve Cooper:

“I assumed we had been good for it. Forest are crew. Aside from the groups which have come down from the Premier League, I believe that is in all probability the strongest on paper – in expertise and useful resource. You must respect that.

“We did that however we additionally got here right here to win. All our motivation was round that, so to go and ship a efficiency like that was actually good.

“I’d have like to attain two or possibly three, however when that did not occur you naturally quit a little bit of territory and should do a little bit of defending.

“Freddie made a wonderful save within the first half however other than that I do not assume he was actually threatened.”