Middlesbrough 0-2 Nottingham Forest: Boro's unbeaten home run ended as Forest climb into top six
- Published
Joe Lolley's goal was his third in four games for the Reds
Second-half goals from Joe Lolley and Lewis Grabban helped Nottingham Forest end Middlesbrough's unbeaten home record and move into the Championship play-off places.
It marked a happy afternoon back on Teesside for former Boro boss Aitor Karanka, after his Forest side were beaten at the Riverside at the end of last season in his first return.
Both sides had chances in an open first-half but it was the visitors who made the breakthrough after the interval when Lolley took a pass from a driving Daryl Murphy and smashed a shot into the top corner for his third goal in four games.
Lolley had a further chance to add to the lead but was denied by Boro keeper Darren Randolph, while former Forest forward Britt Assombalonga was kept out at the other end by Costel Pantilimon's save.
Grabban made sure of the points when he turned in Lolley's cross at the near-post for his fifth goal in six, and not even the late dismissal of Jack Robinson, for a second yellow card for simulation, could stop Forest claiming the points.
Forest's victory, their fourth of the campaign, extended their unbeaten streak to six matches but, most importantly, ended a 12-game wait for three points on their travels.
Boro, whose success has been built on eight clean sheets and a solid defensive record, failed to score for only the fourth time this season as they slipped to their second league loss.
Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis:
"The first 20 minutes we were like a bag of potatoes.
"We're playing on our home ground in front of a decent crowd and we never, ever looked as though we were at the races and that's not just one of the players.
"I'll take Stewart Downing out of that most probably and say he was head and shoulders above everybody else today.
"The rest of them were well below par."
Nottingham Forest boss Aitor Karanka told BBC Radio Nottingham:
"I'm really pleased for the players - I always said to the players that games like today will arrive - once again we showed we are a very good team.
"We scored two and we had more chances, it was just long balls from them - we were really good - a good game and performance.
"I have very good memories here and for me it's just another three points - the main thing for me is we played one of the best teams in the league and beat them.''
