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Live Commentary: Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Nottingham Forest - as it happened

See how Sheffield Wednesday made it seven wins out of 10 with a narrow 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Championship.
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After dumping Arsenal out of the League Cup in midweek, next up for in-form Sheffield Wednesday was a visit from Nottingham Forest in the Championship.

The Owls have now won seven in a 10-game unbeaten run thanks to Fernando Forestieri's long-range strike in the second half on Saturday.

Read how it all unfolded at Hillsborough with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.


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Afternoon all! After putting three unanswered goals past Arsenal at Hillsborough on Tuesday, Nottingham Forest are next to visit Sheffield Wednesday for a Championship match. There's just half an hour until kickoff, so let's get to the team news...

WEDNESDAY XI: Westwood; Hunt, Loovens, Lees, Pudil; Lee, Semedo; Wallace, Bannan, Forestieri; Nuhiu
Subs: Wildsmith, Palmer, McGugan, Hooper, Helan, Joao, Sasso

Carlos Carvalhal makes four changes to his lineup from the side that started against Arsenal. No surprise to see Keiren Westwood back in goal and Fernando Forestieri come back after he was cup-tied, but it is a bit odd to see Atdhe Nuhiu get the nod over Lucas Joao in attack because of the latter's good form of late. The other change sees Jose Semedo replace the injured Sam Hutchinson in midfield.

FOREST XI: Evtimov; Hobbs, Wilson, Mills, Pinillos; Ward, Trotter, Vaughan, Burke; Blackstock, Oliveira
Subs: Durrant, Lichaj, Grant, Osborn, Williams, O'Grady, Walker

There are also four changes in Forest's outfit. Dorus de Vries is absent in goal, so Dimitar Evtimov comes in. In defence, Matt Mills is back from suspension and takes Eric Lichaj's place, while further forward Chris Burke and Dexter Blackstock replace Jonathan Williams and Ryan Mendes.

This match is one of eight kicking off in the Championship at 3pm. You can see the others below, as well as the three results from matchday 14:


H2H: Wednesday have won just one of their last nine against Forest, losing six. However, that one win was in their last meeting in January when two goals in five minutes from Kieran Lee and Chris Maguire gave them victory at the City Ground. Forest have won their last three games at Hillsborough, also keeping a clean sheet in each match.

So, recent history points to Forest getting something from this match, but that's not what the form book says. Wednesday are unbeaten in nine in all competitions, winning six, while Forest are without a victory in six games.

With De Vries out, it is a full debut for Evtimov in the Forest goal today. There could also be a debut for Norwich City striker Gary Hooper, who is on loan at Wednesday and starts on the bench today.


STAT: No Championship side has scored more headed goals this term than Sheffield Wednesday (5). With big-man Nuhiu starting up front, it could be more today.

PREDICTION: It's hard to argue for anything but a Wednesday win here. They might be a bit jaded after their effort against Arsenal, but I'm backing the Owls to win 2-1.



Click here to see how the table looks before the 3pm kickoffs. Wednesday are ninth, four points behind the playoffs, while Forest are 17th, four above the drop zone.

KICKOFF! We're underway at Hillsborough after Forest won the toss and made Wednesday swap sides. They'll be kicking towards the Kop in the first half.

Blackstock and Oliveira don't often start together, but they almost link up well here as the former flicks on for the Benfica loanee, who is beaten to the ball by Loovens.

First goal of the Championship 3pm kickoffs comes at Craven Cottage as Moussa Dembele gives Fulham the lead over Bristol City. Follow @SMChampionship on Twitter for the goals as they go in.

First shot of the game comes from Wednesday as Forestieri collects a pass from Wallace before firing wide from distance.

CLOSE! And now Forest threaten for the first time as Ward's cross from the left is met by Oliveira, whose header goes wide of Westwood's goal.

SHOT! Wednesday threaten at the other end as first Bannan's shot is blocked before Wallace flashes a firm effort wide of the upright.

Speaking of Bannan, he passed his driving test earlier this week the day after helping Wednesday down Arsenal in the League Cup. Well done that man.

Barry Bannan of Scotland in action during the UEFA EURO 2012 Group I qualifying match between Scotland and Lithuania at Hampden Park on September 6, 2011© Getty Images

Forest have started this game well and look fairly comfortable. They will be tough to break down. They have their second shot at goal and it's a first save of the match for either keeper as Westwood easily holds Ward's free kick.

Wednesday are just edging the possession with 55% of the ball, but it's been an even opening 20 minutes at Hillsborough.

Forestieri is only a little lad, but he's just done really well to meet Hunt's cross from the right. He gets his header on target, but Evtimov is equal to it.

CHANCE! Two attempts for Wednesday both denied by Evtimov as the Bulgarian stopper gets the better of Lee and Pudil from close range. Bannan was the architect with a superb pass.

BOOKING! Wednesday starting to dominate now and they have a free kick about 25 yards out after Vaughan brought down Forestieri and was booked. Just right of centre, looks perfect for Wallace...

Garbage! The winger curls it barely halfway up the wall.

Today's referee, by the way, is Jeremy Simpson and he had no choice but to book Vaughan there. First caution of the match.

Nuhiu has been given a chance to lead the line today, but I can't see him staying on for much more than 50-odd minutes if he doesn't start affecting the game more. In-form Joao and new signing Hooper are both itching to get on and do more in the Wednesday attack.

OFF THE POST! Oh what a chance for Forest to take the lead! Pinillos does brilliantly to escape two challenges down the left and his cross is perfect for Ward, who has wandered into the box unmarked. The Northern Irishman meets the header powerfully but can only head against the outside of the upright.

SAVE! Hunt does well down the right to get into the box and then gets away a shot from a tight angle that Evtimov pushes away.

BOOKING! Bad sportsmanship from Wednesday boss Carvalhal as he appears to try to get Ward sent off. The Forest winger grazed Semedo's cheek with what was nothing more than a friendly slap and referee Simpson does well to not overreact, only booking the Forest man.

Ward's everywhere at the moment! This time he does really well to dig out a cross from just in front of the corner flag that Blackstock meets. His header is blocked and then Wednesday just about scramble it clear.

Just the one minute of added time at Hillsborough.

HALF-TIME: WEDNESDAY 0-0 FOREST

No goals after 45 minutes then. It's been a pretty even half, but Forest will feel that they should be in front after creating the only true clear-cut chance that Ward headed against the post.

Wednesday are the side in form, but they're yet to really click today. The likes of Forestieri, Wallace and Bannan have been quiet, while Nuhiu up front has created very little.

Click here to see the Championship table as it stands right now. Wednesday are sitting ninth, three off the top six, while Forest have climbed a place to 16th. There's not been many goals in the 3pm kickoffs so far, though.

HALF-TIME SCORES: Bristol City 0-4 Fulham, Burnley 2-0 Huddersfield, Derby 2-0 Rotherham, Ipswich 0-0 Cardiff, Middlesbrough 0-0 Charlton, MK Dons 0-1 Hull, Reading 0-0 Brighton

A reminder that Vaughan and Ward, both of Forest, are the two players who've been booked so far.

KICKOFF! No changes from either manager and we're back underway as darkness closes in on Hillsborough.

BOOKING! A Wednesday player into the book right at the start of the second half as Bannan cynically trips Trotter.

CHANCE! First chance of the match for Wednesday striker Nuhiu as Bannan picks him out at the back post and he heads over the top. It really wouldn't be surprising to see either Joao or Hooper take the Austrian's place soon.

If Wednesday still need a goal going into the closing stages, they'll be confident of nicking one as they have scored more goals in the 90th minute than any other team this campaign (3).

BOOKING! Burke into the book for bringing down Forestieri. Wednesday sub coming...

WEDNESDAY SUB: As expected, Joao does enter the match but it's not for Nuhiu. The Owls now have two up top as Semedo makes way.

An interesting stat about Joao - whenever he's scored in his career the team he's playing for has not lost the match.

FOREST SUB: First change for the visitors, with Ben Osborn on for Burke.

That kind of sums up the match pretty well as Wallace underhits a pass to Hunt, who then slips over as he tries to cross the ball.

It's all gone very flat at Hillsborough. There was over 35,000 here on Tuesday for the demolition of Arsenal, but Wednesday appear to be suffering a bit of a hangover today.

Forestieri tries to change that with an audacious effort from range, but that was always going over.

GOAL! WEDNESDAY 1-0 FOREST (FERNANDO FORESTIERI)

Wooooof! I said it was flat a moment ago, but Hillsborough is rocking now after a rocket from distance by Forestieri that was too strong for Evtimov.

BOOKING! Hmmmm. Bit of an odd one this. Wallace tripped up Ward, but referee Simpson books Lee.

A couple of moments after Forestieri blazed a shot over, Joao does the same after some neat footwork in the area. Wednesday looking to put this to bed now.

BOOKING! Another yellow card, this time for Forest defender Mills.

Westwood out quickly to slide in and clear the ball away from Ward, who had beaten the offside trap.

BOOKING! Yellow card number seven of the match as Forestieri goes in. There was some handbags on the touchline as players from the two teams came to blows, but Simpson kept a cool head on and dealt with the situation well.

SUBS: Changes for both teams, with Jonny Williams replacing Ward for the visitors and Helan on for Forestieri for Wednesday.

Joao has caused Forest plenty of problems since coming on and he's just gone close with a shot that whistled wide.

CLOSE! Pudil's cross from the left almost goes in as it sails over Evtimov and just wide of the far post.

Third and final change for the away side as striker Chris O'Grady replaces defender Hobbs. Freedman going for it.

Joao with another shot at goal that flies over the bar. Some hit with his left foot but he couldn't keep it down.

WEDNESDAY SUB: It's an Owls debut for Hooper as he replaces Nuhiu in attack.

CLOSE! Oooh my! Forest almost grab an equaliser as Ben Osborn curls in a lovely cross that O'Grady meets and flicks just wide.

Into added time at Hillsborough and there will be four minutes of it. Can Wednesday hold on for a seventh win in 10 unbeaten matches?

CHANCE! It's a chance for... Wednesday to make it two. Some supporters think it's in, but Wallace hit the side-netting.

FULL-TIME: WEDNESDAY 1-0 FOREST

All over in South Yorkshire and it's another win for Sheffield Wednesday. What a week for the club as they follow Tuesday's win over Arsenal with a battling triumph over Nottingham Forest.

That's all from us here at SM on this match. Thanks for joining us. I'll leave you with the Championship table - something Wednesday fans will definitely want to check out - and urge you to have a good click around on site to see more of our football coverage. Enjoy the rest of the day and have a super-scary Halloween 👻

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Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough on the touchline against Hull during the FA Cup semi final match on April 13, 2014
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24Rotherham UnitedRotherham38311243077-4720


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