Goals:
0-1: Ward (70, started and finished the move with a crisp low finish inside the keeper’s bottom left)
Bookings: Ward (24, foul); Lichaj (30, foul); Clayton (35, dissent); Amorebieta (60, foul); Jokic (76, foul)
Sending-off: None
Referee: Fred Graham (Stanford-le-Hope) – hasn’t had too many Championship fixtures but controlled the game well enough. 6
Attendance: 24,975
Entertainment: 2/5
MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1):
5 Konstantopoulos: Never really made a save until late on when Oliviera tested him twice;
4 Nsue: Wasted a fantastic header which would have put Boro up when it was goalless
6 Ayala: Not as effective as he has been this season even if he was still the pick of the back four
4 Amorebieta: Gifted possession to the visitors a few times and struggled a bit in an attacking sense when asked to play left-back
5 Friend: battled on for as long as he could with a shoulder problem picked up early in the first half;
6 CLAYTON: Kept things ticking over but unable to impose himself on the game like he can
5 Leadbitter: Very similar afternoon to Clayton but was the man to make way in the second half;
6 Stuani: Still looks more of centre-forward for a lone striker role in the Boro squad despite being asked to play right
4 Downing: A few lovely passes but unable to reach his best and the man to make way
6 Adomah: Sent in a number of good crosses in the second half which failed to end in a goal;
4 Nugent: Playing with his back to goal for much of the afternoon but that seems to be what is being asked of him
Subs:
Kalas (for Friend 39): Slotted in at the heart of the defence and played his part. 5
Forshaw (for Downing 46): Asked to provide a spark and tried without really creating much. 5
Kike (for Leadbitter 81)
(not used): Mejias (gk), De Pena, Fry, Kike Sola.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-4-2): De Vries 5; Lichaj 7, Hobbs 6, Mills 7, Jokic 7; Mancienne 7, Gardner 6 (Wilson 89); Tesche 5, Osborn 7, O Burke 6 (Oliveira 76); WARD 8 (Mendes 83). Subs: subs: Evtimov (gk), Cohen, Blackstock, O'Grady.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Jamie Ward – was always a nuisance with his running before starting and finishing the move which sealed the points which knocked Boro off top spot.
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