Forest v Swansea

Before the Championship playoffs started, it was virtually impossible to predict who would triumph and earn their place in the Premier League. The first leg of the Forest v Swansea tie did little to make such predictions easier, but you would imagine the Swansea players and fans left the City Ground happier.

As a Derby fan, my pre-match hopes were that Swansea would turn up and consign our East Midlands rivals to another miserable playoff campaign, much like they endured in 2003 (Sheffield United), 2007 (Yeovil) and most recently, last year against Blackpool. However, once the match started and chants of “Oh Eng-er-land, is full of ****”, echoed from the away end, I realised that forcing myself to be a Swan for the night would deem me a traitor, and in a strange and insignificant way re-ignited the club vs country debate. Verdict: wish for many corners to satisfy the terms of my bet, enjoy the match and smile at any teams misfortunes.

The second minute sending off of Swansea’s Neil Taylor for a dangerous studs up tackle on Lewis Mcgugan made me question how the following 88 minutes could live up to my pre-match excitement. The tackle was a potential leg breaker and a definite sending off, contradicting Sky pundit Peter Beagrie’s view that it would have received a yellow card 9 times out of 10 in the Championship. It wouldn’t, Peter. That McGugan was caught by the Sky cameras taking a sneak peak to see what action the ref was going to take whilst writhing around in apparent pain, should not detract from the fact it was a red. From there it seemed as if Swansea would do well to go away from Nottingham with a draw.  The galvanising effect it should have had on the Forest players was non existent and instead the Swans bossed the first half, to a background noise of disgruntled Nottingham folk. An incisive Forest breakaway brought Dorus De Vries into serious action for the first  time when Rob Earnshaw struck a firm volley, causing him to palm it away for a throwing, and infuriatingly for my bet, not a corner. A sharp save low down and a spectacular tip over the bar from the English Northern Ireland goalkeeper Lee Camp followed to ensure the teams went in to half time level. Advantage Swansea.

Billy Davies must have reminded his Forest team at half time that they were actually playing an important match and they should perhaps start to play a bit better, and they did. The second half was more reminiscent of Forest performances this season at the City Ground (I have one particular match in mind). Swansea however were much more adept at defending in front of the home faithful than the team I am thinking of. They did not concede 5 for starters. Rob Earnshaw headed in at the back post to send many Forest fans delirious; those who didn’t see the flag go up straight away anyway. Billy Davies fell into this category. Ten seconds of running out the dugout, arms aloft, celebrating was great viewing. You wanted to shout out  ”But it’s offside, Billy”. He found out, eventually. Despite Forest edging the second half, it took a fantastic save from the Championship’s best keeper (I can’t let my dislike for the man get in the way of facts) to deny a Lloyd Dyer snap shot and keep his team on level terms.  Despite many corners in the second half - much to my delight - Forest could not make the most of the aerial advantage of player of the season Luke Chambers and Mr Nottingham Wes Morgan.  It finished 0-0 with 14 corners. Advantage Swansea.  I was happy as it was the next best thing to both teams losing, Brendan Rogers was happy, and Billy Davies was not too sure about what Billy Davies thought of the result. The constant licking of his lips was not a sign of him and his team relishing a trip to the fortress that has been the Liberty Stadium, it was just a Billy trademark, much like when Billy Davies talks about Billy Davies in the third person.

The tie is certainly not over. Forest could go to South Wales and do a job over Swansea, but one would expect Swansea to pull through at home, as long as they manage to keep 11 men on the field. These playoffs are tense affairs, but at least this result ensures Forest fans will not be setting themselves up for a huge fall again ala Yeovil 2007, by prematurely booking the coaches to Wembley and making ‘We’re going to Wembley’ t-shirts after the first leg.  All to play for in the second leg. May the best team win…and then lose in the final (as long as it’s not to Cardiff).