Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Nottingham Forest: Joe Lolley earns win for Chris Hughton's side
- Published
Joe Lolley's late strike was just Forest's second in five Championship games this season
Joe Lolley's injury-time strike earned Nottingham Forest victory over Blackburn Rovers as new boss Chris Hughton's first game in charge brought a dramatic win at Ewood Park.
Forest looked set to earn a first Championship point this season following four consecutive defeats, but Lolley secured all three with a deflected strike after cutting in from the right flank.
Hughton's side edged a turgid first half that saw barely any goalmouth action.
But the Reds side, who are now 20th in the table, upped the tempo after the break and created several chances, with Ryan Yates, Tobias Figueiredo, Lyle Taylor and Sammy Ameobi all going close before Lolley's winner.
Rovers, who had gone three games unbeaten since defeat against Bournemouth in their opening fixture, managed just one attempt on target in each half, with former Forest striker Ben Brereton's strike going closest with a strike that produced a regulation save from Brice Samba before the break.
But the visitors, with Luke Freeman excelling, were increasingly threatening and were good value for the win after dominating the latter stages.
Ryan Yates was narrowly off target with a header from Lewis Grabban's cross and Figueiredo headed straight at keeper Thomas Kaminski.
The prospects of a Reds winner seemed to end when Ameobi's clever toe-poked effort from the edge of the box came crashing back off the post, but Lolley intervened with a tame strike that took a telling deflection past Kaminski.
Chris Hughton was back in management for the first time since leaving Brighton last year
Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray:
"It looked like a team that hadn't played together and it hasn't played together. We had one day with that team on the grass.
"Because of the current climate, the team changed from the one we prepared during the week.
"It looked like 0-0 all over it really. We were never under any real serious threat, but there you go - you can lose tight games from a set-play or deflected shot.
"The first half was as poor as we've been this year but, as I said, it was a team thrown together really."
Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton:
"Did I see the goal coming? Probably not. I thought the game was going to be 0-0, but we finished strong, which was good.
"When you score a goal so late in the game, it gives the team an incredible lift. We've come to a team in really good form and, for periods, they showed why.
"They've been able to score goals, so the pleasing aspect is I thought we got stronger as the game went on.
"It was always about making sure we were solid enough as a team, but having opportunities ourselves."