Nottingham Forest have taken a 2-1 benefit of their play-off tie with Sheffield United because of their Premier League-bound starlet Brennan Johnson.
The 20-year-old, who appears to be like sure to be within the top-flight subsequent time period amid hyperlinks with Leeds, Newcastle and Brentford, scored the second aim of the match to present Steve Cooper’s facet an actual benefit following Jack Colback’s opener inside the primary 10 minutes.
The Blades had possibilities of their very own and have been the dominant facet early on in each halves, and acquired their reward with an damage aim from Jack Robinson to maintain the tie alive going into Tuesday’s second leg on the Metropolis Floor.
It was a energetic begin to the match as Ryan Yates performed a beautiful ball to Forest star Johnson who compelled a clumsy clearance from Chris Basham inside 4 minutes.
Whereas the Blades settled into the sport, the opener got here simply 5 minutes later as Sam Surridge squeezed a cross into the penalty space which Colback transformed after an unlucky slip from Ben Osborne.
Forest smelled blood as they continued to flood ahead with Surridge, Philip Zinckernagel and Johnson all having alternatives to double their lead inside the primary quarter of the match.
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Either side pushed ahead in what was a really entertaining first half at Bramall Lane, nonetheless it was Forest who peppered the Sheffield United aim within the final 10 minutes of the half, forcing Wes Foderingham right into a spectacular double save late within the half.
Going into the break, talkSPORT co-commentator, Chris Iwelumo, baffled as to how Cooper’s facet weren’t additional forward on the break.
He stated: “Nottinham Forest may have had two or three extra objectives. That they had huge probabilities.
“There’s a number of soccer to be performed, however Steve Cooper has to maintain them going.”
Whereas the Blades actually weren’t outclassed within the first half, they managed to up their sport within the second interval they brought about issues for Forest with 5 efforts within the first 15 minutes of the half.
Nonetheless Forest managed to double their lead about 70 minutes when Joe Lolley laid it again to Johnson who slammed the ball into the highest nook of the web to make it 2-0.
That effort actually took the wind out of the house facet, nonetheless they managed to get a late comfort within the form of a Robinson header that ensured that the Blades are effectively and actually within the combine going into the return leg on the Metropolis Floor on Tuesday night time.
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