Nottingham Forest 2-0 Bristol City: Brennan Johnson & James Garner score for hosts
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Brennan Johnson has scored six goals in his past eight games for Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest's excellent home form continued as they moved to within three points of the Championship play-off places with victory over Bristol City.
Brennan Johnson's first-half strike put Forest in front in a commanding display at a rocking City Ground.
On-loan James Garner doubled the lead 10 minutes after the break from Max Lowe's teasing cutback.
Bristol City carried little threat all game as they slipped to their sixth defeat in their past 10 matches.
Nigel Pearson's side could only muster one shot on target as their poor away form continued - now no win in 11 and 33 goals conceded.
For Forest, a seventh victory in their past nine at home has Steve Cooper's side nicely ensconced in the play-off picture with 13 games to go.
Buoyed by that run at home, Forest were all over City in the first half in front of a packed house and nearly broke the deadlock after four minutes.
Djed Spence, an effervescent menace down the right for City's defence, was denied a spectacular opener by an equally impressive save from Daniel Bentley as the City goalkeeper tipped his rasping drive from the edge of the box over the bar.
Forest forced eight corners in the first period with Bentley again having to be alert to divert an athletic Steve Cook effort away after Spence had caused problems.
Bentley might well think he could have done better with Forest's goal though, as in-form Johnson, who the club want to tie down to a new contract, drilled a right-foot shot from inside the box across Bentley into the far corner despite the tight angle.
The deficit could have been greater two minutes before the break but the City keeper made another smart stop from Keinan Davis' powerful header.
Forest's control continued in the second half and Garner, on loan from Manchester United, made the points safe as he capped another flowing Forest move on 55 minutes, expertly picking his spot from the edge of the box after collecting Lowe's astute cutback.
City were again grateful to Bentley as he kept the visitors remotely in touch with another save - this time from Philip Zinckernagel, who could not generate enough power when sent through on goal.
Forest comfortably kept City at bay as full-time approached, Andreas Weimann summing up the visitors' afternoon as he blazed a late chance high over the bar.
Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper told BBC Radio Nottingham:
"It was a really good performance - we know if we can play like that we'll win games.
"We probably should have scored one or two more, but I'm not complaining about that because we didn't look under the cosh at any stage of the game.
"I thought we looked fit, strong and confident and I liked our attitude - that was the sort of performance like I want this team to be."
Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol:
"I don't think we gave ourselves a chance - we were poor. Too many players had off days which doesn't make it easy.
"We didn't look a threat and that's a big disappointment.
"We were very sluggish in midfield moving the ball. We made a lot of poor decisions at the back and that affects the quality of the ball going forward.
"We had opportunities to do better when we got into forward positions but it didn't happen - we looked where we are in the table."