Forest hold upper hand after nervy victory
Colin Calderwood's side finished fourth in League One
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Friday, 11, May 2007 10:00
Two penalties helped Nottingham Forest to a 2-0 win over Yeovil in the first leg of the League One playoff semi-final at Huish Park.
Despite being outplayed for most of the game, Kris Commons and James Perch both converted their spot-kicks to give the two-time European champions the upper hand.
The second leg will be played at the City Ground next Friday with the winner going to the playoff final at the new Wembley.
The hosts, buoyed on by a boisterous crowd, dominated the first-half with Marcus Stewart's drive well saved by Paul Smith early on.
But Forest were awarded a penalty on 22 minutes after Nathan Jones brought down Perch.
Commons stepped up and slotted his spot-kick into the bottom corner to give the visitors the lead.
Yeovil continued to attack with Lee Morris' shot from 12 yards parried by goalkeeper Smith eight minutes before half-time.
The second half was a similar story with Wayne Gray sending a header from six yards agonisingly wide from Stewart's cross.
Forest's best chance fell to Scott Dobie whose pile-driver from 20 yards flew wide of the goal.
With goalkeeper Smith continuing to deny the home side, Stewart then rattled the post with a header in the closing stages.
Two minutes from time, Forest cruelly clinched victory after being awarded a penalty when Jack Lester was upended by Terrell Forbes on the edge of the box.
Perch calmly fired his spot-kick into the corner to make it 2-0 and extend Forest's unbeaten run to six matches.