Nottingham Forest could consider themselves lucky to beat Coventry City 2-1 with a lot of kick on Wednesday night.
Lyle Taylor showed steel nerves to move at a snail’s pace and score from the spot after winning a soft-looking penalty within stoppage time.
The Reds led the club to half-time through Scott McKenna’s first goal, but the visitors were a better team after the break as they emerged victorious.
Culum O’Hare got his goal and he may have won but also to save nicely from Bryce Samba, who also kept out Leo Ostigard who hit the post for visitors with Max Bayamo before Taylor won.
One’s early XI looked strong. Left-hander Yuri Ribeiro came in just for the start of the second championship of the season, while there was also a place for Samba Soo in midfield for the first time under Chris Houghton.
It wasn’t just the changes that Joe Loli came up with for Sammy Amoby and recalling Taylor at the expense of Miguel Guerrero.
Jack Callback will again sit on the bench with Ryan Yates again leading the team, along with Harry Arthur.
Both AMOB and Guerrero were on the Reds bench.
One was a bit sluggish at the start of the first half, but Soe pushed him more into midfield, although the red card also looked a different prospect after the initial booking.
Opportunities were limited but scattered in a corner from the shots of Forest Thon’s Knockart, with Taylor wide in six-yard bucks.
The Reds took the lead in the 30th minute when Luke Freeman saw the shot blocked, as planted, but his attempt fell to McKenna who made a convincing low for the central defender.
Coventry was very good at the start of the second half and didn’t build up the level when Biamo hit inside the post.
The equalizer came after 56 minutes and it was a good goal as O’Hare turned the game well into a nice Sam McCullum cross for one visitor after another.
Coventry can move forward when the header of the biome was planted directly in the samba.
Samba was again asked to make an excellent save from Ohre and Leo Ostigard’s jungle to make a good stop to win it.
Taylor broke into the box and was brought down by Kyle McFedzian but Taylor came in contact and felt soft as he went downstairs.
The striker was deadly from the spot though.
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