Stoke City 1-0 Nottingham Forest: Josh Tymon goal gives Potters victory
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Josh Tymon's goal was his first since scoring for Hull in an FA Cup tie in January 2017
Josh Tymon's first league goal earned Stoke City a deserved victory over Nottingham Forest, who suffered a fourth consecutive defeat.
Tymon, making his 50th appearance in English league football, drove low into the net despite the best efforts of Forest keeper Brice Samba.
Stoke had dominated with Samba holding a Tommy Smith shot and doing brilliantly to deny Steven Fletcher, minutes before Tymon's goal.
Forest failed to register a shot on target and are now bottom of the Championship.
It is a poor start to the season for Chris Hughton's side, who are now winless in 10 league matches dating back to early April.
Stoke, meanwhile, are one of only three teams to have have taken 10 points from a possible 12 and were well worth the victory.
Forest's Samba was the only goalkeeper called into serious work, his save to keep out Fletcher from close range merely delaying the inevitable.
The breakthrough came as Forest dropped off while Stoke moved the ball around, eventually creating the opening for Tymon.
Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill told BBC Radio Stoke:
"I was pleased with us overall. I think in the first half we were trying to do the right things. At times, we were a little bit short, we just didn't create enough for the control we had in the game.
"The game opened up a little bit in the second half and I thought we were terrific in some of our play - great goal, some other great chances and a clean sheet.
"The key is to have that little bit of quality in the right moment and I think Mario Vrancic showed that [for the goal] - the timing to hold the ball that split-second longer, play the pass with the right weight and great for Josh to get in."
Nottingham Forest manager Chris Hughton told BBC Radio Nottingham:
"In the first half, I thought we were good. We frustrated them, I thought we were decent on the ball, had good possession, but they're the moments where you've got to get your goals.
"They had a spell in the second half where they upped it a little bit. That stemmed from us having a period where we gave the ball away, which we didn't do in the first half.
"Unless we are breaking the deadlock ourselves, we are always putting ourselves under pressure. They capitalised and at the moment we haven't been good enough to take that type of lead without the mistakes."