Nottingham Forest 3-0 Birmingham City: Hosts get first league win under Sabri Lamouchi
- Published
Lewis Grabban scored 17 goals last season and has two goals in three games so far this term
Joe Lolley scored one goal and made another as Nottingham Forest dominated Birmingham City to earn a first Championship win of the season.
Lolley struck a sumptuous opener after 15 minutes, striding forward from a short free-kick and finding the far corner with a low strike.
The winger soon teed up a second, racing down the right and crossing to Lewis Grabban, who scored with a fine looping header.
Michael Dawson's powerful close-range second-half header sealed victory for Forest, who missed numerous chances to add their tally in a one-sided final quarter at the City Ground.
Lukas Jutkiewicz missed the away side's best chances in a bright start but Blues, who were unbeaten in their first two league fixtures, offered little threat after falling behind to Lolley's smart thinking.
Jutkiewicz was off target with two close-range efforts and Forest made the visitors pay, with Lolley the architect of Sabri Lamouchi's first Championship win as Reds manager - and Blues' first defeat in 10 league games, going back to 29 March.
Lolley's quick-thinking for the opener settled the home side and his equally impressive wing-play teed up Grabban for his second goal of the season.
Sammy Ameobi almost added a third as Forest seized control and the pattern continued after the interval following a brief spell of Birmingham pressure.
Dawson's first goal since returning to Forest made it 3-0. It was the 35-year-old former Tottenham and Hull defender's first goal for the club since December 2004.
Lolley, Samba Sow, Ameobi and Grabban all wasted glorious opportunities to add to the tally against a Birmingham side who are yet to score from open play this season.
Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi:
"This was our best performance yet. But I hope there is better to come in the future.
"We have to find our killer instinct in the box, to score one or two more goals. But it was a good performance.
"We had a good dynamic in attack and controlled the game.
"Our keeper did not have to do a lot so, for me, it was the perfect game."
Birmingham City boss Pep Clotet:
"The one thing I have learned about this club is that we are very resilient. We will be together, we will be united.
"We have made a solid start, but we will be disappointed about what has happened here.
"Now it is about being together, as we look to keep adding points to our tally.
"We are in a situation where a lot of the players arrived at the club late. We need to have a little bit of patience and understand the process we are going through."
