An absorbing and hard-fought match only heightened the electric atmosphere, the prematch was palpable. Both teams saw goals disallowed and Declan Rice had a poor second-half penalty saved by Dean Henderson as Taiwo Awoniyi’s first Premier League goal ultimately proved the difference. West Ham could be considered unlucky as they also hit the woodwork twice. Forest, then, is up and running. As the old saying goes, strikers don’t care how goals are scored and Awoniyi’s first in Garibaldi red was abysmal to say the least. The goal came from Harry Tofolo’s sharp run and space for Jesse Lingard, whose shot was tame enough for Ben Johnson to block, but on the brink of half-time Avonyi was in the right place at the right time to open the scoring. his account after £ Movement 17m. Lingard, who spurned West Ham to move to Forest this summer, got off to a flying start but this gutsy Forest display was about the club, a squad understandably still reeling. Steve Cooper turned to the Forest fans and clenched both fists. “I spoke to the players about how there were probably three generations of supporters here today, one that remembers the very good old days,” Cooper said, dedicating the win to fans who couldn’t get their hands on tickets. In an open letter, Forest chairman Nicholas Randall said the club do not plan to do the numbers on their return and given how difficult it is to keep track of the flurry of arrivals – the purchase of Neal Maupay looks set to take them . spending north of £125m – they seem to mean business. French midfielder Houssem Ouar is also close to signing. “I really hope everyone looks at why we had to make so many signings and not just put the narrative ‘Forest signed a lot of players: why?’ Cooper said. “There was a real logic behind it and [it has been] real need. We would have loved to continue with the squad from last year and add a few players, but it was never going to happen. We’re still in that process of becoming the team and the team we want to be.” Declan Rice looks frustrated after missing a penalty for West Ham. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Forest also showed intent on the pitch. Eight of their summer signings started here, including Orel Mangala and Awoniyi, who were both substitutes last weekend. West Ham, by contrast, looked very familiar but to name two goalkeepers on their bench. Awoniyi provided a welcome focal point and Mangala showed touches of class, drawing gasps as he half-volleyed one wide to the lively Neco Williams, who slowly cleared the line to deny Kurt Zouma an equaliser. Only the water break midway through each half brought calm to a frantic game. David Sullivan, the West Ham co-owner, arrived at the ground in a royal red Rolls-Royce, but some Forest supporters used another mode of transport: arriving by boat on the River Trent. The buzz was palpable in an afternoon filled with lasting images. Captains Joe Worrall and Rice stand side by side in a narrow tunnel. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, in an open-necked white shirt, prays for a VAR review to go in their favor before Brennan Johnson’s strike is disallowed. Henderson blows kisses to the stands after saving low to his right to deny Rice from 12 yards. the sheer noise as Born Slippy, the Trainspotting anthem, played before the match. Something seemed to be afoot from the moment Awoniyi won an early corner and David Moyes’ face was etched with frustration as he replayed their oh-so-near. “We created enough opportunities to score goals, but we didn’t capitalize on them,” he said. West Ham were denied the opener after referee Robert Jones was encouraged to visit the VAR monitor, with former Forest striker Michail Antonio clearly teeing up Mangala from the ball seconds before Said Benrahma drilled into the bottom corner. Pablo Fornals smashed the underside of the bar 23 seconds into the second half and just after the hour Benrahma was fouled in almost the same part of the goal box. Then came West Ham’s best chance when Scott McKenna was booked for handball following a VAR review for preventing Tomas Sucek from sweeping Benrahma’s cut into the net. Rice stepped up but Henderson, in front of a watching Gareth Southgate, went the right way and saved. “I know Dec’s favorite side [on penalties] as I have trained with him in the past [with England]Henderson said. “I stuck with what I knew and luckily he put it out there.” As the Forest fans jubilantly declared before and after the final whistle: Forest are back.
