Your latest Nottingham Forest headlines brought to you by NottinghamshireLive on Sunday, May 15, 2022...
How Keinan Davis made surprise early Nottingham Forest comeback
Boss Steve Cooper was delighted to have Keinan Davis back available for Nottingham Forest’s play-offs clash with Sheffield United.
The striker had been sidelined after suffering a hamstring injury in last month’s defeat at Luton Town. And it had been expected he would be missing for the Reds’ semi-final against the Blades.
But he was named among the substitutes for the first leg at Bramall Lane. And he came off the bench to replace Sam Surridge with 15 minutes to go as the visitors secured a 2-1 advantage for Tuesday night’s return leg at the City Ground.
“It’s good to have him back. He had a really positive week,” said Cooper.
“The medics pulled me on Thursday, after we’d done the pre-match press conference, and said he’d really kicked on, that he might have a chance of being involved on Saturday. So I said, ‘okay, yeah, no problem!’."
Paul Heckingbottom's 'every game' Forest warning for match officials
Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom has claimed Forest were fortunate to have not given away a penalty in the Reds' 2-1 win on Saturday.
He has appealed for the match officials to keep a close eye on Forest's defending of set-pieces during the second-leg after he claimed the hosts should have been awarded a penalty. The comments came after Berge went down in the area down inside the penalty area under challenge from James Garner but despite his appeals, referee Andre Marriner waved play on.
“Forest drag people down in the box,” he said. “They do it every game but have only, I think, given one penalty away from it. That’s not complaining. It’s just us trying to exploit something."
Steve Cooper's play-off semi-final win verdict
Head coach Steve Cooper singled out his players’ mentality as Nottingham Forest came away with a 2-1 advantage from their play-offs semi-final first leg against Sheffield United.
The Reds could have scored more as they created numerous chances at Bramall Lane. Goals from Jack Colback and Brennan Johnson ensured they are in a great position ahead of the return fixture at the City Ground on Tuesday night. But a late header from Sander Berge to reduce the deficit still leaves the tie enticingly poised.
Cooper will call for more of the same, though, after a brilliant opening 45 minutes in which the visitors could have been out of sight. They had to defend well after the break, as they came under the cosh, but the Welshman was delighted with the overall performance.
“It coulda, shoulda been a clean-sheet. Could have been more goals. But this is football, and this is the play-offs,” said Cooper.
“It was a really good game. I loved our first-half performance. We were dominant."
