Nottingham Forest 1-0 Wigan Athletic: Tobias Figueiredo's header sends Reds fifth

Tobias Figueiredo lifted Nottingham Forest back into the play-off places with a headed winner in a game of penalty drama for Championship bottom side Wigan Athletic.

Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba denied Josh Windass an equaliser from the spot after Alfa Semedo brought Joe Gelhardt down in the box, and Wigan then had a second penalty appeal for handball turned down minutes later.

Figueiredo's brilliantly steered header across goal from a Tiago Silva corner proved decisive and came just minutes after Nathan Byrne put an effort wide on the counter attack for the lowly visitors.

Before the break, Joe Williams had gone closest to opening the scoring for the Latics with a toe-poked effort that forced Samba into a fine save at the near post.

Forest's top scorer Lewis Grabban then headed the Reds' best first-half chance wastefully wide from close range before Figueiredo's goal and Samba's penalty heroics ensured the hosts finished the year fifth in the table.

The Latics' seventh defeat in a 13-game winless run leaves them one point adrift at the foot of the second tier after 25 games.

Despite being winless away from home this season, Wigan had a number of bright moments in an otherwise cagey first half.

However, Williams' effort which was pushed around the post by Samba, after meeting a low ball from Antonee Robinson, was as good as it got for the visitors.

Forest's missed chance before the break was more glaring, with Grabban heading off target after Ryan Yates' neat cross found the striker free just six yards out.

Byrne's failure to hit Forest on the counter after the interval proved costly as Figueiredo nodded them in front and the Reds survived Wigan's late pressure, with goalkeeper Samba ensuring all three points with the penalty save from Windass before denying Robinson.

Nottingham Forest head coach Sabri Lamouchi said:

"Wigan deserved more, but I am happy for my players because they worked hard and they fought. We were a little bit lucky. But we fought hard for those three points.

"This year, we have played really well away from home, winning a lot of games. At home it has been the opposite. We need to understand that and to understand why.

"Perhaps we can do something in the window that can help. The club are working hard to do that; to give us some help with new signings. But the players we have now are working hard and they are fantastic. It is a pleasure to work with them."

Wigan Athletic manager Paul Cook said:

"I don't think we've conceded a goal in open play in five games now and we've been holding our own really against teams like Forest who are really strong.

"The biggest thing in football, as everyone knows, is scoring goals and we're not doing that anywhere near enough at the minute.

"I'll never criticise players, that's not the way I do things, but I'll just keep repeatedly trying to get them into those areas, in the hope we get points that keep us in the division."