Match report: Forest v Sheffield Wednesday

ON an afternoon when Billy Davies launched himself into a fresh battle off the pitch, his team climbed out of the trenches to go to war on it.

Having already lambasted Nottingham Forest for their failure to conclude deals for any players during the January transfer window and blasted Nigel Clough for allegedly kneeing him during the finale of the painful defeat at Derby, the frustrated Scot launched a fresh salvo at the club for not having tied up a permanent deal for Pole Raddy Majewski.

Fortunately for the Reds, this was not a day for the guile and creativity of the midfielder, who Davies left on the sidelines after insisting he was becoming disaffected by the lack of negotiations to secure his signing.

Instead, with Sheffield Wednesday arriving at the City Ground in the mood to subdue and suppress Forest's attacking instincts, this was three points that were ground out.

As had been the case at Pride Park a week previously, this was a war of attrition, only this time Davies' troops found the qualities to ensure they ended up on the winning side.

In comparison to the recent routs of West Brom and QPR, this was not entertaining fare but, if the promotion push is to be maintained, this is something Forest fans may have to become accustomed to.

Davies was in a combative frame of mind, as he found himself disappointed again by what he perceived to be another failure by the Forest hierarchy.

Fortunately, his gritty, determined disposition was also reflected in his side, as they demonstrated they have character, as well as ability, when it comes to grinding our results.

And this, if nothing else, will have raised Davies' spirits, when he looks ahead to a fixture list that is likely to included similar encounters between now and the end of the season.

The glitz and glamour of the Premiership is an alluring target. But, if Forest are to reach the promised land, you begin to sense that the road there may not be an easy one.

The journey to three points on Saturday was certainly not as straightforward as the home side might have liked.

Depending on your point of view, it was either Darren Purse, the Wednesday defender, or referee Trevor Kettle who gave Forest a helping hand towards victory on Saturday, as Dexter Blackstock put Forest ahead following the rather generous award of a penalty, when it was judged that Purse had handled a shot from the striker.

Either way, Blackstock was in no mood for sympathy, dispatching a decisive, unstoppable shot high into the corner of the net.

The strike, in the 24th minute, was Forest's first meaningful effort of the game, as the Owls' hard-working mentality ensured they had little room to create.

The goal, however, briefly sparked Forest into life, as Nathan Tyson forced a smart save from Lee Grant with a fizzing, low drive and Robert Earnshaw tested the keeper with a curling free-kick.

Luke Varney, the on-loan Derby striker, should have levelled for the visitors, but lingered too long when presented with the chance to angle a shot across goal and was denied by a fine sliding challenge from Wes Morgan.

Darren Potter also saw a free-kick deflected on to the bar following a period of pressure from the Yorkshire side.

But Varney was not so generous after the break when, after sub Etienne Esajas' shot had pinballed around the box, he pounced to rifle Wednesday level late in the game.

Fortunately, Forest's spirit had not been dented by seeing their 19-match unbeaten run brought to an end by Derby.

And they fought back with great tenacity.

The game was decided as Blackstock plundered his second, prodding home from close range after initially seeing Grant palm away his header from a Chris Cohen free-kick, just as Davies was about to substitute him, in the hope of keeping him fresh for the trip to Coventry tomorrow night.

That match is likely to seem familiar territory for Forest, against a Sky Blues side that, while struggling to avoid being sucked into the relegation scrap, do not lose many matches on home turf.

Chris Coleman's side, in fact, have been defeated only three times at the Ricoh Arena, where their form has played a large part in ensuring they have not dropped into the bottom three.

If Forest are, as Davies and match-winner Blackstock both suggested, hoping to build another unbeaten run to ensure they remain on the shirttails of Newcastle and West Brom, then they must be prepared for another battling showdown on the other side of the Midlands.

By the time the game kicks-off, Davies hopes there will be more clarity over the future of Majewski, the player on loan from Polonia Warsaw, who he fears could be poached by a Premiership side in the summer, if Forest do not act decisively.

Privately, the manager may well be disappointed at the backing he has been given over the past month.

But, if his players continue to fight for the cause with the same level of passion for him on the pitch, then Forest could well still find themselves plotting a course for the top flight.