Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Nottingham Forest
- Published
Nouha Dicko has scored two league goals this season
Nouha Dicko hit his first Molineux Championship match-winner since May 2015 as Wolves edged to a narrow victory over Nottingham Forest.
Just seconds after home right-back Conor Coady had coolly cleared off the line from Britt Assombalonga, Wolves broke straight away down the right.
Andreas Weimann squared for Dicko to tuck home, before Forest's Danny Fox was sent off in stoppage time.
The hosts' fifth straight win leaves Forest two points clear of trouble.
Paul Lambert's Wolves are now a much healthier 11 points above the relegation zone with a game in hand on many of the teams below them, who have just six matches left to play.
A generally frustrating night could have turned out differently after Wolves were clearly hindered by the loss of record signing Helder Costa, who pulled out after aggravating an ankle injury in the pre-match warm-up, to be replaced by Dicko.
Assombalonga was close to scoring early on when he cut inside and tested Wolves keeper Andy Lonergan with a low right-foot shot saved at his near post.
Dicko then went close at the other end with a low left-foot shot just wide, while Ben Marshall sent a right-foot curler just past the post after the break.
Forest then seemed certain to break the deadlock when Wolves found themselves outnumbered. But, after a desperate tackle from Ivan Cavaleiro, the covering Coady got back to clear on the line - and Wolves rapidly made Forest pay for their profligacy.
Wolves went down the other end, Dicko slid in from close range for only his fourth goal of the season - and a theatrical Lambert leapt high in the air in his technical area to celebrate.
Forest substitute Jamie Ward had a hooked left-foot volley saved by Lonergan, who then made a desperate save to deny another of Forest's subs, Mustapha Carayol, in the last minute of stoppage time, after Fox was sent off for a second yellow card.
But Wolves hung on for the victory that all but ensures their Championship safety.
Wolves boss Paul Lambert told BBC Sport:
"We had a bit of a doubt over Helder Costa's ankle in the warm-up, so we made the late change.
"But we had every confidence that Nouha Dicko would do a good job for us. And Ivan Cavaleiro did well too. He's a big talent.
"When he gets the ball he's exciting, but he also did well for us when he tracked back to help stop them scoring. Conor Coady on the goal line was a big moment for us and then we showed how quickly we can break."
Forest boss Mark Warburton told BBC Radio Nottingham:
"It hurts to lose in that way. We had our best chance of the game, it falls sweetly for the goalkeeper and then, 10 or 12 seconds later, it's in the back of our net.
"They are the fine margins. Goals change games, as they say. And, at the end, there was another good chance for Muzzy, but I don't think we were at our best."