Nottingham Forest 5 Huddersfield Town 1

Last updated : 03 March 2007 By Footymad Previewer
Nottingham Forest sent out a message to the rest of the League One promotion challengers as they hammered Huddersfield 5-1 to power their way back into second spot.

Junior Agogo took his tally to five in three matches as he started and finished the scoring as Peter Jackson's side were swept aside by half-time.

Goals from Agogo, Lewis McGugan, Grant Holt and James Perch put Colin Calderwood's team 4-0 up by the 33rd minute, before the Ghana international wrapped things up for Forest 16 minutes after the break.

After a number of nervous home outings, Forest had been hoping for a bright start and they got exactly that as they had victory tied up before the half-time whistle.

And it was in-form Agogo who was again the key figure after Perch had fired a long ball down the right side.

Keeper Matt Glennon hesitated and then slipped when he finally decided to close the striker down and saw Agogo produce a confident finish over him and high into the net.

It was not all good news for Forest as midfielder Sammy Clingan was carried off with a serious looking knee injury with only 12 minutes gone.

But, while it was not a welcome moment for the Northern Ireland international, his replacement McGugan was to have an immediate impact.

After a Kris Commons corner had been flicked on by Reds skipper Ian Breckin, Huddersfield only managed to half clear to the edge of the box where the former youth team player rifled home a fantastic finish to make it 2-0.

Then, with only 19 minutes on the clock, McGugan was again a key figure as he crossed superbly from the right to provide Grant Holt with a simple finish which he duly supplied to make it 3-0.

Huddersfield twice came close to hitting back immediately as Andy Taylor bent a dangerous shot that Paul Smith did well to palm around the post and then took the corner himself and forced the keeper into another save with a ball that threatened to curl straight in at the near post.

But Forest put the match out of sight in the 33rd minute as Commons produced another fine delivery from the left, this time to pick out Perch at the near post where the midfielder side-footed a simple finish beyond the exposed keeper.

Hudderfield manager Jackson sent his players out on to the pitch early for the second half, but it was Forest who picked up where they left off as Commons clattered the bar with a 20-yard drive.

The fifth goal was quick to arrive, however, as Grant Holt sent strike partner Agogo clear of the Huddersfield defence again and the striker danced around the advancing keeper and slotted into an empty net in the 61st minute.

Matt Young pulled one back for the visitors late on, but by then it was too late for them to find a way back.