In spite of a tremendous effort, Nottingham Forest's first home League game of the season ended in defeat after an early second-half goal by West Brom. Forest were not lacking in effort, but were, in the end, stopped by a well-organised West Brom defence.

Chances were few and far between in a goalless, but entertaining, first half. Forest put the effort in and looked more confident towards the end of the first 45 minutes.

West Brom took the lead early in the second half and Forest fought back well to try and get an equalizer. Substitute Robert Earnshaw won a penalty and then missed the chance to level the game when his effort from the penalty spot went wide.

---

Forest started in positive fashion with an early break by Dele Adebola giving Nathan Tyson a chance but his effort from 25 yards was wide of the post.

A great save by Lee Camp prevented West Brom from taking an early lead, from a free kick in the fourth minute. From the left, just outside the penalty area, Chris Brunt went for the top corner and the Forest keeper had to be quick to get up to his left to tip the ball round for a corner.

Scott Carson's first save of the game came in the 13^th minute from a corner. The ball came in from Paul Anderson to Adebola whose header was easily plucked out of the air by the West Brom keeper.

There was another easy save for Carson when Radoslay Majewski tried a long-range shot, which went straight into the keeper's hands.

Manager Billy Davies, who had started the game in the Director's box, only lasted until the 23^rd minute when he headed for the edge of the pitch to shout instructions.

The Forest defence looked stretched when Joe Mattock's cross went by everyone and Paul Mckenna did well to divert the ball out for a corner.

Tyson threatened on the half hour when he did well to beat his man down the left and ran into the penalty area where he picked out Paul Anderson. He was blocked and the ball fell for Adebola who just missed the far post with his effort.

Forest played their best football towards the end of the half, creating some good passing fooball, ending with a lovely pass by Majewski into the path of Garner who could only shoot into the side netting.

There were cheers all round the Trent End in the opening minutes of the second half when Adebolaput the ball in the back of the net, but the linesman's flag had been up for a while for a push at the back post.

West Brom were in front seven minutes into the half after the ball came in from Shelton Martis to Jonathan Greening whose cross hit Wes Morgan's foot and bounced past Camp and into the back of the net.

West Brom almost made it two from a free kick wide on the left after a foul by Chris Gunter on Craig Beattie. Greening's shot came in to Graham Dorrans who had acres of space to put the ball away but sent it over the bar.

And Forest had a chance when McKenna took a shot from 30 yards which went straight at Carson who fumbled the ball. Adebola ran in to get on the end of the rebound but sent the ball over the bar.

There were shouts for a penalty all round the ground and from the Forest dugout when Garner was fouled by Jonas Olsson inside the six-yard box but the referee was not impressed.

Forest came very close when Tyson made a run down the left and put in a good cross to substitute Dexter Blackstock whose effort sent Carson back into his goalmouth clutching the ball, but the linesman judged that it had not gone all the way over the line.

Forest were awarded a penalty when another Forest substitute Robert Earnshaw was brought down inside the box by Marek Cech.

Earnshaw was quick to claim the ball and, after bookings for Carson and Garner, Earnshaw walked slowly up to the ball, sent Carson the wrong way but then put the ball wide of the target.

Blackstock was only just wide of the target when he ran onto the ball, turned and volleyed from 20 yards, blasting the ball towards a diving Carson, but his effort went the wrong side of the post.

There were five minutes of stoppage time but West Brom threw ten men back to successfully defend their lead.

Nottingham Forest: Lee Camp, Chris Gunter, Wes Morgan, Joel Lynch, Chris Cohen, Paul Anderson(Robert Earnshaw 66min), Paul McKenna, Radoslaw Majewski(Lewis McGugan 56min), Nathan Tyson, Joe Garner, Dele Adebola(Dexter Blackstock
73min)
Subs not used: Paul Smith, Aaron Mitchell, David McGoldrick, Arron Davies,
Bookings: McKenna 52min, Garner 76min

West Brom: Scott Carson, Gianni Zuiverloon(Leon Barnett, 71min), Joe Mattock, Joussouf Mulumbu, Shelton Martis, Jonas Olsson, Graham Dorrans, Jonathan Greening, Chris Brunt(Marek Cech 74min), Luke Moore, Robert Koren(Craig Beattie 45minHT)
Subs not used: Dean Kiely, Simon Cox, Chris Wood, Reuben Reid
Bookings: Zuiverloon 56min. Moore 58min, Martis 68min, Carson 76min
Scorer: Morgan og 52min

Referee: K Stroud
Attendance: 22,795 Away attn: 3,140