1 May 2025
Nott’m Forest 0 Brentford 2
At this stage of the season, for sides with European places to play for, every game is a cup final. This is definitely the case for Nott’m Forest, although they seem to have hit a dip in form at exactly the wrong moment of the season. They welcomed Brentford to the City Ground knowing that victory would take them back up to third place in the table, with their destiny in their own hands.
The visitors were awarded a free-kick out wide and as the cross was swung in by Damsgaard, van den Berg found himself in acres of space in the middle. Sadly for Brentford, his glancing header was too close to Sels, who managed to beat the effort away. It was an early warning for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side that they could not take the visitors lightly.
Forest fans were incensed when Lewis-Potter body-checked Elanga out wide as a foul was given. The Brentford midfielder had already been shown a yellow card and wanted to see him given his marching orders. The referee waved away protests and allowed the benefit of the doubt to the player. The hosts were struggling to break down The Bees in the final third.
Thomas Frank’s side had feint hopes of getting themselves into the European places if results in tournaments went their way. They would still need to find a run of form between now and the end of the season. Ironically, their season has been turned on its head in the second-half of the campaign as they have been far more productive on their travels than in West London.
Before the interval, Collins played a long ball forward for Schade to hunt down. Nott’m Forest had plenty of opportunities to clear iit as the Brentford attacker bundled his way through the middle. Suddenly, the it dropped to his feet as he slotted it under Sels and silenced the City Ground. In a game of few chances, The Bees had shown their clinical edge.
There was an air of nervousness in the ground as the Forest fans started contemplating the possibility that they could miss out on Champions League football after spending in excess of three months in the top four. Nuno Espirito Santo would have to rally the troops during the interval if they were to have any chance of turning this game around.
After the break the hosts seemed to have a little more pep about their game. Elanga found himself in acres of space and opted to drive for the penalty area. He cut inside onto his right foot as the goal opened up for him. He tried to bend a shot into the far corner but Flekken reacted superbly to make a fingertip save to turn it behind for a corner.
The chance awoke the City Ground and turned it into a cauldron of noise once again. They started passing the ball around and Brentford were struggling to deal with their pace and movement. Aina clipped a cross into the box and Wood rose to meet it with a header. The normally free-scoring Kiwi sent his effort wide of the target.
Against the run of play, a long kick downfield by Flekken was poorly dealt with by the Forest defence. They committed the first cardinal sin of letting the ball bounce as Wissa ran clear with it. As Sels came out to try and close him down, the Brentford striker dinked it past him and into the back of the net. The away end erupted as they gave themselves some breathing space in this match.
Brentford were once again lucky to have eleven players left on the pitch when Norgaard hacked away at Yates from the floor. The midfielder hit the deck but the referee did not see fit to take any action. The Bees went straight down the other end and a slick passing move worked it to Mbuemo wide in the box. He looked to bend a left-footed shot into the far corner but it narrowly went over the bar.
Nott’m Forest had dominated the stats in all areas but had not been able to create enough clear-cut chances to trouble Flekken in the visitors goal. With time running out, Brentford started to look in control of the match. Defeat would severely test the mental strength of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side for the run in to secure European football.
Victory took Thomas Frank’s side to within two points of eighth-placed Fulham. This defeat left Nott’m Forest in sixth place in the table and outside of the Champions League spots. This will be the toughest test of the season so far for the hosts, they have some tricky fixtures between now and the end of the season. The race for Europe is really beginning to hot up in the Premier League.
Did you enjoy this article? Please share to your social media. With one click you can help spread the word and make Solid at the Back the one-stop shop for all Premier League fans.