Goals:

1-0: McKay (16, controlled Dowell’s through pass before slotting a lovely finish beyond Randolph)

2-0: Murphy pen (79, picked out Randolph’s bottom left with a low drive after Gibson’s foul)

2-1: Gibson (83, powered in a loose ball that took a deflection and flew high into the net)

Bookings: Traore (18, foul); Clayton (39, foul); Fry (63, foul); Assombalonga (76, foul); Gibson (89, foul)

Sending-off: None

Referee: Graham Scott (Abingdon) – not really any complaints about either the penalty decision or the Assombalonga header which was ruled out. 7

Attendance: 26, 265

Entertainment: ****

Forest Boro

Shots on 3 7

Shots off 8 10

Corners 5 5

Offsides 2 2

Fouls 5 22

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-2-3-1): Smith 7; Darikwa 6, Mills 6, Worrall 6, Traore 7 (Lichaj 77); Vaughan 5 (Brereton 37, 7), Bouchalakis 7; McKay 7 (Mancienne 65, 5), Osborn 5, DOWELL 7; Murphy 6. Subs (not used): Evtimov, Clough, Carayol, Cummings.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-1-2-3):

6 Randolph: Involved very little except for one routine stop early on;

6 Christie: Unable to get forward like he had in the first few games

7 Fry: Did what he had to do at the heart of the defence alongside Gibson

6 Gibson: Redeemed himself by scoring after conceding a penalty

6 Friend: Similar display to Christie because both took time to get going down the flanks;

5 Clayton: Asked to change roles and was replaced

6 Howson: After a slow start he created a couple of decent openings and had an effort himself

5 Forshaw: Unable to find his usual composure on the ball;

6 Bamford: Lively when he was on the pitch without seriously testing the keeper enough

4 Assombalonga: Not the day he wanted back at the City Ground

7 GESTEDE: Looks revitalised and almost created an equaliser

Subs:

Traore (for Forshaw 46): Still lacking an end product but gave Boro an extra edge. 6

Baker (for Bamford 63): Pushed the ball around in the middle without posing much danger. 5

Fletcher (for Clayton 78)

(not used): Konstantopoulos (gk), Roberts, Fabio, Leadbitter.

MAN OF THE MATCH: RUDY Gestede – caused the Forest defenders problems with his presence, but didn’t find the net to go with it.