Huddersfield’s Joel Lynch sets tone for win over Nottingham Forest
|
Version 0 of 1. Chris Powell was thrilled with team’s display after this thrashing of Nottingham Forest. Joel Lynch took 43 seconds to head home against his former club and well-worked goals from Nakhi Wells and Grant Holt either side of half-time capped an excellent display by the hosts, who are now unbeaten in their past seven outings. Powell took one point from his first three games in charge after replacing Mark Robins in September, and the former Charlton manager put the turnaround down to an increase in confidence. His side certainly showed plenty of that as Forest struggled to deal with the raw pace of Wells and the man of the match, Sean Scannell. “That was an outstanding display,” said Powell. “We made a perfect start obviously, but for us to play the way we did – our game management was superb. “Some of our football, our wing play and our finishing was a real joy and I was really proud of all the players because, even in the 93rd and 94th minute, we were putting our bodies on the line to try and keep a clean sheet and that’s the attitude that will take us forward. “From afar I saw what was happening here – it was tough, you could see everyone in the football club and all the players were a bit disaffected by what had happened, and that’s understandable. “I’ve done my best to try and install confidence – of course results help. I wanted intensity, I wanted good football, wing play when we could, but also good balance in the team, and we’re getting there with that. “They’re really trying their best and enjoying each other and enjoying their football and they all want to play their part – it’s great to see.” The visitors began terribly when Jack Robinson’s long throw was glanced into the net by an unmarked Lynch – the Welsh defender claiming his first goal of the season against the club he left to join Huddersfield in 2012. Tommy Smith’s low cross narrowly evaded Holt and Wells in the 17th minute, but three minutes later Huddersfield successfully doubled their advantage. Holt delivered a telling cross from the left and Wells ghosted into space to plant a diving header in the bottom corner. In the 54th minute Scannell went on a fine run down the right, laid the ball off for Holt and the on-loan Wigan striker unleashed a left-foot screamer from 20 yards to finish off his former club. Forest are now without a victory in their last nine outings.“You can’t concede goals like that so soon in the match,” said their manager, Stuart Pearce. “We created opportunities – we could have been more clinical with our forward play – but we shipped too many cheap goals. It’s eroded the team’s confidence a little bit and we have to solve that. “When you go on the road you need to get a foothold in the game and not concede sloppy goals, and it’s probably been symptomatic of us in recent weeks.” |