All White Chris Wood in action for Nottingham Forest. Photo: AFP / NurPhoto/ MI News
Fulham put a dent in Nottingham Forest's Premier League top-four aspirations as defender Calvin Bassey's first goal of the season sealed a deserved 2-1 home win for the London club.
Bassey's only other Fulham goal came almost a year ago but the Nigeria international produced a well-directed header in the 62nd minute to leave Forest empty-handed on Sunday (local time) despite Chris Wood scoring his 18th league goal of the season for the visitors.
Emile Smith Rowe headed in Adama Traore's cross to give Fulham an early lead at Craven Cottage but striker Wood levelled before halftime with a clinical finish.
Forest were unable to make much of an impression after Bassey's goal and a lively Fulham side could have added to their lead on several occasions.
While Forest remained in third place with 47 points from 25 games, Fulham are firmly in the hunt for European qualification, sitting in eighth spot with 39 points.
Nuno Espirito Santo's Forest side could have no real complaints at the outcome as they managed only two attempts on target at a murky Craven Cottage.
"Did we see the best of Forest today? No. I think we could be better. I think we lost the small battles in the game, when the ball was bouncing we didn't win the duels. Overall not the best performance," Santo said.
"We have been working well, but we have to go better, and finish the season in a good way."
The hosts began in a positive fashion and nearly went in front when Raul Jimenez's looping header went just wide of the post.
But Fulham did not have to wait long for their reward as Traore delivered a superb inswinging cross with his left foot and Rowe timed his run to perfection to power his header past Forest keeper Matz Sels.
Sels had to make a great save to deny Jimenez as the hosts dominated but Wood equalised with the type of goal that has made him one of the surprises of the season.
He got a little lucky as a flighted pass from Morgan Gibbs-White struck him on the back to wrong-foot Fulham's defence.
But he took full advantage, producing a silky turn before planting a left-foot shot beyond Bernd Leno.
It was a similar pattern after the break with Fulham's power and pace disrupting Forest and the hosts scored the winner as Jimenez flicked on a cross to the back post where Bassey produced a header any striker would have been proud of.
"From a collective point of view, great performance from us," Fulham manager Marco Silva said.
"From the first minute until the last one, we were by far the best team on the pitch."
- Reuters
