Young goalkeeper Jordan Smith was given plenty to do once again as Nottingham Forest edged out Sheffield United at the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest really needed that. The pressure had started to mount on manager Mark Warburton after a dreadful run of five defeats in six Championship games.
However, Saturday’s hard-fought 2-1 win over high-flying Sheffield United may just signal a return to form for a side that promised much in the opening weeks of the new campaign.
Chris Wilder’s Blades had climbed to second place prior to their trip to the City Ground, and John Lundstrom’s third minute strike suggested that the newly promoted side were showing no signs of slowing down. However, a rapid-fire equaliser from Jason Cummings, and a first-half winner by Kieren Dowell, ensures that Forest are now looking forward to moving up the table and competing for a play-off place. And that is thanks to a superb performance from young goalkeeper Jordan Smith.
True, fans might question him for Lundstram’s opener, but there’s no doubt that his injury time stop to deny Mark Duffy was as good as a goal to Forest, while he commanded his area with confidence throughout.
The 23-year-old is one of the brightest young goalkeepers in the Championship right now and, although he has been frequently undermined by Warburton’s error-prone defence, demonstrated his class once again at a crucial moment in the game.
Nottingham Forest fans would have been concerned when the club failed to sign an experienced shot-stopper in the summer – but perhaps they didn’t need one after all.
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