DOUGIE FREEDMAN has transformed Nottingham Forest into the great entertainers and they continued their dramatic revival with a victory that put a dent in Middlesbrough’s hopes of gaining automatic promotion from the Sky Bet Championship.
Forest have scored 22 goals in eight matches since Freedman took over from Stuart Pearce barely a month ago, and many of them have been absolute stunners like the two which secured them a sixth victory and retained faint hopes they can make the playoffs.
On this occasion, Gary Gardner, their loan signing from Aston Villa, produced a spectacular 25-yard strike to peg back Middlesbrough before Dexter Blackstock rounded off an electrifying counterattack by lashing home the 65th-minute winner.
While Aitor Karanka was left ruing the way his side sat back after taking a 27th-minute lead, Freedman was not getting too carried away with a remarkable run which has cut the gap between Forest and the playoff places to nine points.
“It has been a terrific team effort since I have come to the club and we’ll try to develop that going forwards as a basis for future success,” said the Forest manager.
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“This was a superhuman effort. If you are looking for the definition of a team fighting for their lives, you have seen it in this game. I couldn’t have asked for more.
“What a great team performance against the team who I believe will be League Champions. That was probably more than three points when I look at it.”
Karanka, Middlesbrough’s manager, commented: “We had done the most difficult thing by scoring the first goal. What concerns me is that in a game that we needed to win, we then started to defend deeper after going in front rather than going for the second goal.
“After nine games in the past month, we now have a week in which we can take a good look at things ahead of some big games coming up.”
As they looked to regain top spot from Bournemouth, Boro were boosted by a freakish goal when Grant Leadbitter’s cross to the far post hit the inside of the upright and cannoned off the back of Michael Mancienne’s head before finishing in the back of the net.
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While there was an element of doubt about the opener, that certainly wasn’t the case when Forest drew level as Gardner found space 25 yards out to line up a curling shot which left Dimitrios Konstantopolous grasping at thin air as it flew into the top corner.
Boro could have regained the lead right on the stroke of half-time when Kike was presented with an excellent close-range opportunity, but somehow Forest’s last-ditch defending prevented him from applying the finishing touch.
Freedman’s side had to show plenty more resilience to counter Boro’s threat, especially in the early stages of the second half, but they struck on the counterattack as Antonio and Blackstock linked up so effectively before the striker finished in some style.
There was still time, however, for Karanka’s side to create a number of good opportunities but the Brazilian Kike had a particularly frustrating afternoon.
He hit the post with a first-time shot following good work from George Friend and then failed to get a decisive enough touch to Jelle Vossen’s knock-down.
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Forest hung on to claim another success under Freedman which left Boro level on 66 points with three other teams at the top of the Championship.
That was small consolation for Karanka at the end of an afternoon when he hoped that his side to reclaim the advantage in such a tight race
Star man: Michail Antonio (Nottm Forest)
Nottingham Forest: Darlow 7, Kane 6, Lascelles 7, Wilson 6, Lichaj 6, Mancienne 7, Gardner 7, Burke 7, Lansbury 6 (Osborn h-t, 7), Antonio 8, Blackstock 7 (Collins 88min, 3)
Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos 7, Fredericks 5 (Nsue 39min, 5), Kalas 6, Gibson 6, Friend 7, Bamford 6, Leadbitter 7 (Forshaw 82min, 4), Clayton 7, Adomah 7 (Vossen 69min, 6), Tomlin 7, Kike 6