Nottingham Forest 1-2 Cardiff City: Colwill leads Cardiff comeback

Cardiff boss Mick McCarthy had been winless in his last five away league matches against Nottingham Forest

Teenager Rubin Colwill scored twice as Cardiff City came from behind to claim victory and keep Nottingham Forest winless and bottom of the Championship.

Lewis Grabban's first goal this season gave Forest the lead at the interval.

Colwill equalised within a minute of coming on as a substitute before firing home the 73rd-minute winner.

Forest have just one point from six games and have made their worst start to a season in 108 years, adding to the pressure on boss Chris Hughton.

Their fans made their displeasure known at the final whistle after Cardiff capped an impressive comeback that moves them up to eighth on 11 points.

Despite the pre-match talk being about Hughton's future, it was his former Republic of Ireland team-mate Mick McCarthy who was dealing with selection issues until kick-off.

Cardiff had lost midfielders Joe Ralls and Ryan Giles to injury and illness, and suffered another issue when Leandro Bacuna hurt his groin in the warm-up and was replaced by 20-year old academy product Sam Bowen in the starting line-up.

However, despite their preparation problems, Cardiff made a fast start at the City Ground.

In only the first minute Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba passed to Bluebirds forward James Collins, but he could not take advantage.

Another reprieve followed when Joel Bagan's looping header from Perry Ng's ball struck the crossbar, with Cardiff somehow unable to turn home the rebound.

Lyle Taylor twisted and fired over the bar with Forest's first chance, but they made no mistake with their second opportunity when Grabban swept home - via a slight deflection - after Max Lowe's run and cross.

Cardiff came close to equalising five minutes before the break, but Samba produced a fine save to deny Collins as he fired across goal.

The Bluebirds waited only 10 minutes into the second half before Wales forward Kieffer Moore and Colwill came on - and they combined to score just 53 seconds after their introduction with Colwill finishing after Moore headed the ball into his path.

Cardiff began to exert pressure on a Forest side with fragile confidence and Moore headed against the base of the post just moments after Samba again almost gifted a goal, but Mark Harris missed the target.

Samba made up for his mistake as he saved Aden Flint's header, but Moore again found Colwill who beat Samba from 20 yards with a fierce left-footed effort.

The second goal seemed to deflate the hosts, though Cardiff goalkeeper Dillon Phillips did have to save from Joe Lolley and Ryan Yates.

Cardiff held on comfortably despite six minutes of injury time and Djed Spence fired another chance over.

Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton said:

"I have to believe I can do that (turn things around). I have to. I have a group of players, I have a responsibility and we have to get results.

"However it happens, we have to find a way to win matches. That means players stepping up to the bar; that means players gelling together and all of us doing enough to get results.

"In the first half we scored a really good goal and, without playing really well, we were still the better side. Cardiff were always going to react in the second half. They are one of the biggest Championship sides I have seen.

"They play in a certain way and that has been very beneficial for them. There were moments during that when we just did not cope with it."

Cardiff City boss Mick McCarthy told BBC Sport Wales:

"I am so pleased that he (Rubin Colwill) has signed a new contract because, if he hadn't, people would be all over him like a rash, watching him get a cap with Wales and then do that today.

"His second goal was in a different class. Kieffer (Moore) just played it around the corner to him and he produced a great finish.

"Management can sometimes look easy, can't it?

"It is a great three points and a great win. We started well but then they got into it and were full of confidence after the goal."

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