Hull 2-3 Nottm Forest - 28-Oct-2017 : Match Report

28 October 2017 07:49
Kieran Dowell hat-trick gives Nottingham Forest victory at Hull

A first senior hat-trick by Kieran Dowell earned Nottingham Forest a 3-2 win at Hull to move them within one point of the Sky Bet Championship play-off places.

The on-loan Everton midfielder grabbed all three goals for the visitors to secure maximum points despite late strikes from Jarrod Bowen and Michael Hector.

In the build-up to the match, Tigers fans protested about their frustrations with owner Assem Allam, and those spilled on to the pitch in the 19th minute when a section of supporters threw yellow balls onto the pitch to chants of "We want Allam out", stopping play for several minutes.

Dowell, an Under-20 World Cup winner with England in the summer, drilled in a 25-yard stunner to give the visitors a half-time lead before grabbing his second with a calm first-time effort with 19 minutes remaining.

Bowen halved the deficit with a curling effort from 20 yards before Dowell completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Tyler Walker was hauled down six minutes from time, with Hector's late finish proving to be a mere consolation.

Academy graduate Bowen created the first opportunity in the fifth minute when he worked his way into the Forest area with a mazy run but his low cross was well defended by Tendayi Darikwa with Kamil Grosicki lurking at the far post.

From the resulting throw-in, the hosts went even closer to opening the scoring as Seb Larsson's terrific right-wing cross found Poland international Grosicki at the near post, but he could only divert his effort wide.

The short delay caused by protests seemed to halt the momentum that the hosts had built up and Mark Warburton's side took full advantage of Hull's missed half-chances just before the half-hour mark.

A loose pass was picked up by Dowell just inside the Tigers half before driving to the edge of the area and unleashing a strike into the top corner which left Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor with no chance.

Grosicki tested the hands of Jordan Smith in the Forest goal before the 22-year-old stopper brilliantly denied David Meyler from close range moments later in a goalmouth scramble.

Just before the break, Bowen's trickery saw him ease past Eric Lichaj and his cutback was weighted perfectly for Grosicki, but a wonderful last-ditch block by Joe Worrall denied a certain goal.

Forest nearly doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time when another quick counter led to Lichaj finding Ben Osborn 15 yards out but his first-time volley rattled the crossbar.

Hull came close to an equaliser shortly after the restart when Larsson's free-kick rebounded kindly off the Forest wall for Fraizer Campbell, who thumped a half-volley straight at Smith.

Heroic defending by the visitors stopped the Tigers from levelling in the 63rd minute when Jason Cummings flicked fellow striker Campbell's header over the crossbar.

Forest doubled their lead when 20-year-old Dowell curled Barrie McKay's lay-off in off the post.

Hull replied instantly with a neat finish from winger Bowen, only for Dowell to restore Forest's two-goal from the penalty spot after Walker was felled.

Centre-back Hector ensured their was late drama when he smashed in from close range with three minutes left but the visiting side held on to secure back-to-back victories for just the second time this season.

Source: PA