Show only key events Please enable JavaScript to use this feature 50 mins “It’s been 30 (thirty years) since Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheringham scored Forest’s (and anyone else’s) first televised Premier League goal in a game that instantly dented my optimism for Liverpool that season.” says Niall Mullen. “Being the dominant force in English football, the Reds were a powerless smash that day. I guess it must be hard for you as a United fan to understand…” I dream of being an incompetent wreck. Support, I meant support. 48 min Bowen wins a corner for West Ham, who have made a quick start to the second half. Nothing comes of it. 46 minute: Fornals hits the post! What a start to the second half! Fornals takes a great shot from 20 yards that bounces off the underside of the bar and back into play. Sucek is all over the rebound, heading in from close range which is spectacularly saved to his right by Henderson. This was a great keeper, not just the save but the speed with which he was on his feet. 46 minutes Peep peep! Forest start the second half. Reading at half time “Objectively, it was an ugly goal,” says Mary Waltz. “No, it was completely beautiful, very happy!” Updated at 14.56 BST
Half time: Nottingham Forest 1-0 West Ham
Forest take the lead through Taiwo Awoniyi’s unintentional but injury-time roof-raiser. West Ham had controversial goals disallowed shortly before that, so we should have a lively second half. He was a goal dog, damn Forest will care. Entrepreneurial Toffolo moved smoothly into the area from the left and picked out Lingard, who made complete havoc of a simple chance 12 yards from goal. His tame shot beat the outstretched Johnson, rebounded off Awoniyi and dribbled slowly into the net! Updated at 14.54 BST
TARGET! Nottingham Forest 1-0 West Ham (Awoniyi 45+2)
Taiwo Awoniyi scores Forest’s first Premier League goal since 1999! Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi scores his first goal. Photo: Craig Brough/Reuters Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi celebrates his first goal. Photo: Craig Brough/Reuters Updated at 14.54 BST 45 mins Williams cuts inside and takes a decent shot from 20 yards which is comfortably saved by Fabianchi. I’m still trying to make sense of the disallowed goal. There is an argument that Mangala ran across Antonio, rather than being hit by Antonio. You can make a decent case either way, but I don’t think it was a clear and obvious mistake. What is certain is that the clash affected the game, because Mangala was the closest Forest player to Rice, who was therefore of an age to pick out Benrahma. Updated at 14.54 BST
NO GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-0 West Ham
Not allowed! Hmm, I can see both sides of that. Antonio is furious, because he believes – correctly, I would say – that it was an accidental collision. I’m not sure that counts as a clear and obvious mistake. Updated at 14.44 BST It came from a Forest corner, with West Ham breaking quickly. The drive slowed, so Antonio ran into Mangala on the edge of the area and flattened him. Forrest stopped play and Rice led a pass to Benrahma, who calmly finished. But there is VAR control and the referee will look at the screen. Updated at 14:50 BST
TARGET! Nottingham Forest 0-1 West Ham (Benrahma 42)
The woods are steaming! West Ham United’s Said Benrahma scores their first goal. Photo: Carl Recine/Action Images/Reuters Updated at 14:50 BST 41 minutes: Good save by Fabianski! Toffolo’s cross goes over the head of Johnson, and Williams gets on the wrong side of Cresswell to fire a close-range shot which Fabianski bravely blocks. 39 mins Benrahma’s long shot is half-knocked by Worrall and bounces to Antonio, who heads it home from eight yards. It was under pressure, and it came at an uncomfortable height, but it was still a chance. 37 mins The Sky Sports commentator notes that the pace has dropped after the drinks break. This suits West Ham better than Forest you might think. 35 mins Benrahma beats Worrall inside the area, gets to the byline and whistles a cross that hits Bowen eight yards at the near post before heading clear. It was a very difficult ball for Bowen, belted towards him at belly level. 32 minutes Koufal’s low shot from the edge of the area was blocked and Forest Break. Lingard plays in Awoniyi, who tries to round Fabianski and clears the ball out of play after a double ricochet. No matter – he was well offside. Updated at 14.32 BST 29 mins Lingard, who is booed by the West Ham fans, plays a nice pass to Johnson on the edge of the area. Turns, uses Zouma as a screen but turns his shot too close to Fabianski. Drinks break Forest were slightly the better team in an enjoyable start to the game. New signing Taiwo Awoniyi has been a constant pain in West Ham’s derriere. 25 mins Nice first cross from Cresswell headed straight to Henderson by Soucek. It was a decent effort – he had to generate all the power himself – but too close to the keeper. 24 min “I’m not sure I’d wear black on a day like this…” says Ian Sargeant. “That Metgod goal cost us the title that season. I was listening to comments on the radio. Either Peter Jones or Bryon Butler said it was the hardest they’d seen a ball hit.” “Peter Jones and Bryon Butler”. Give me a moment please. 22 min Mangala clears a great ball down the left to find Johnson. He runs at Zouma, dragging his foot over the ball, but then stabs a cross wide of Fabianski. There is a wonderful confidence and purpose in Forest’s play. 20 mins At the other end, an even more dangerous cross from Lingard just narrows wide of Awoniyi’s stretch at the far post. Lingard looks sharp, Awonigi too. Updated at 14.20 BST 19 mins West Ham are starting to get into the game and Cresswell’s dangerous cross is just wide of Antonio’s stretch. 18 min “All sports are corporate, most sports are more concerned with the bottom line than anything else,” says Mary Waltz. “But hearing the story of Forest, seeing how important their club is to the heart of these cities, separates the PL from other leagues. Not the owners, the fans. I grew up with the NFL and it is incredibly successful, profitable and completely lifeless. An appeal from America to the people of the United Kingdom. Don’t let American corporate greed rule your game. They tried with the Super League, but they didn’t let it. I’m afraid that ship has sailed, whether it arrives under a Super League flag or not. But I know what you mean – days like today are a reminder of why we fell in love with football. 16 minutes: Offside from Tofolo! Benrahama cuts in from the left and curls a standard shot towards the far post. Henderson dives to his left to save but pushes it against Sucek, the ball rebounding slowly towards goal. Toffolo does a great job of connecting it securely. Nottingham Forest’s Harry Tofolo clears the ball from the line. Photo: Carl Recine/Action Images/Reuters Updated at 14.36 BST 14 mins A wonderfully imaginative pass from Williams near the halfway line just eludes Awoniyi in the area. It’s all Forest right now. 13 mins: Chance for Awoniyi! Neco Williams moves down the right and whips a lovely cross towards the penalty spot where Awoniyi gets away from Zouma and heads just wide of the far post. Looks like a handful for defenders. Updated at 14.13 BST 12 mins Niachate hands Antonio in the area, a dangerous challenge, although there was no appeal from Antonio as he hit the deck. 11 minutes The forest looks very sharp. O’Brien’s cross from the right is headed in the air and nodded towards Niahate’s goal. There is no pace to the ball and Fabianski saves comfortably. 10 mins The free-kick is half-empty and bounces back to the far post. Bowen battles Awoniyi for the header and ends up flicking it into his own goal. Fabianski moves smartly on his line to push it. 9 mins Rice adjudged for a foul on Lingard 30 yards from goal. 8 mins Doesn’t score – but it was a good effort, went over the bar and just over the bar. I think Henderson had it covered, though I wouldn’t swear to it. 8 minutes Foul on Antonio just outside the area, well placed for the left-footed Cresswell. It looked like a soft decision, which we’ll hear more about if Cresswell scores… 6 mins Williams horns it on track. A poorly designed effort, poorly executed. 5 min Forest started well, and at a very high pace. The lively Awoniyi is fouled 25 yards from the Rice goal, although the foul is fair to the left of centre. Neko Williams is done… 4 min “Completely unrelated to the Forest game, but I have to share a crazy random thing with you,” writes Des. “I was walking through the streets of north west London on my way to a pub when I passed two old men reminiscing about the great Jimmy Johnston. It was great to see these two guys who must have been in their 80s talking about him and specifically an overhead kick that he did. I get to the pub to watch the Forest game and they have Celtic v Kilmarnock on and within a minute there’s a great overhead kick from Giakoumakis.” “She was so stylish, she was so clashy, she was so Celtic pic.B26 — Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 14, 2022 3 mins Awoniyi wins an early corner for Forest on the left. It’s headed clear towards the edge of the area, where Mangala has a shot blocked. This place will blow if Forest score. 2 min ‘The football fan’s dilemma’ says Richard Hirst. “I want a draw so both teams stay below Fulham or I want West Ham to win because Forest are the team most likely to compete with us to avoid a relegation spot. I think the pragmatist in me should say the latter.” It’s not much…
