Nottingham Forest 1-0 Derby County: Yohan Benalouane’s early strike gives hosts win

Not every superhero wears a mask but, when it comes to iconic sporting images, it helps. 

So the vision of Yohan Benalouane wheeling away to celebrate his winning goal for Nottingham Forest with the appearance of Zorro will quickly become a famous photograph in the annals of one of England’s most historic fixtures. 

The Algerian defender, sporting protection for a broken bone, took just 72 seconds to score the close-range goal that kept alive Forest’s hopes of gatecrashing the play-offs and left Derby fans fearing another end-of-season slide from contention.  

Yohan Benalouane poking home the opening goal of the game in the second minute

Nottingham Forest’s players celebrating after taking the lead against their fierce rivals

Forest’s first win in ‘El Cloughico’ since December 2015 gave manager Martin O’Neill victory in his first derby at the helm and, more vitally, kept his side within three points of the Championship’s top six. 

They could not add to the Algerian’s close-range strike but there was little question as to the merits of their victory and, for Frank Lampard and Derby, inevitable questions will be posed about their ability to last the pace. 

More expensive and more experienced Rams sides have fallen away in promotion races in recent seasons past, and now the Chelsea’s legend’s young squad face a major test of their mettle after finding themselves just a point ahead of their fiercest rivals following events at the City Ground on Monday night. 

Forest claimed the lead with just over a minute played as Jayden Bogle made a mess of dealing with a free-kick, delivered from the right by Joe Lolley. 

It was headed back across goal by Daryl Murphy, leaping at the far post, and scrambled home from close range by Benalouane. 

Derby looked rattled but there was a major reprieve for Forest on 14 minutes when their ragged backline allowed Martyn Waghorn to spring the offside trap and collect a neat pass by Duane Holmes. 

The forward was one-on-one with Costel Pantilimon in the Forest goal but, from a tight angle, he chipped the ball past the far post.

Forest fans unfurl banners ahead of the match amid an impressive atmosphere in Nottingham

Just two minutes in, Benalouane managed to turn home a header across the six-yard box

Derby County manager Frank Lampard looks glum after his side were hit early by Forest

The nerves appeared to be infectious as Derby threatened a further implosion, handing possession to Lolley on the right. 

He drove towards goal and squared for an unmarked Murphy, but his touch was poor and Kelle Roos raced from the Derby goal to gather at the striker’s feet. 

Tempers became frayed as half-time approached, beginning with a late challenge by Harry Wilson on Ryan Yates that earned Derby’s on-loan Liverpool midfielder a booking. 

When Yates exacted a measure of retribution with a hack on Holmes and the Derby men shoved Yates to the floor in response, it sparked a brief melee that ended with both men being shown yellow cards. 

A brawl breaks out between the two sides after a strong tackle during the first-half

Veteran defender Ashley Cole plays a pass as Derby attempt to comeback from 1-0 down

Some of Forest’s early impetus had dissipated but they still looked the most likely of the teams to score, as they almost did when Lolley’s firm cross from the right was met by the head of the diving Yates, who diverted it narrowly wide. 

Lampard introduced Florian Jozefzoon as a half-time substitute and the winger might have made an instant impact when he collected Bogle’s crossfield pass and get fly with his left foot, but Pantilimon was equal to it with a one-handed save. 

The Rams almost fell further behind when Lolley bent a left-footed shot narrowly wide of Kelle Roos’s goal, and the visitors suffered a blow when midfielder Andy King limped off injured. 

Benalouane celebrates at the final whistle after scoring the only goal of the game