Differing derby day fortunes for PNE's rivals

Nottingham Forest will be dusting themselves down from defeat to rivals Derby when they host Preston at the City Ground.
Nicklas Bendtner in action for Nottingham ForestNicklas Bendtner in action for Nottingham Forest
Nicklas Bendtner in action for Nottingham Forest

Their 3-0 loss at the hands of the Rams brought to an end a three-match winning run.

The display, especially in the second half, earned Forest a flea in the ear from manager Phillipe Montanier.

He expects better from his side for North End’s visit.

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Montanier said: “In the second half we were poor technically, tactically and physically.

“When you play Derby you have to reach another level.

“It was a disappointment for us, because the derby is an important game.

“We need to play as a unit with and without the ball.

“The derby is a tough game and you have to be at 100 per cent. You have to be at your top level and we were very poor.

“Why were we poor? That is a tough question. We did not lack motivation, this game was about more than three points.”

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Forest had fallen behind in the first half when Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner put through his own goal.

Tom Ince and Will Hughes netted in the second half.

Said Montanier: “At half-time it was no problem because we felt we could recover from 1-0.

“But I do not understand how we could be so poor in the second half.

“I don’t know if we had more than one opportunity to score in the second half.”

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Forest were without two key men against Derby, Henri Lansbury and Britt Assombalonga, both through hamstring injuries.

Lansbury was initially named in the side but pulled up lame in the warm-up.

He and Assombalonga have both scored six goals this season, as has Apostolos Vellios.

Bendtner, who arrived as a free agent in September after leaving Wolfsburg, has found the net twice.