FOOTBALL

ROBERT EARNSHAW STARS AS NOTTINGHAM FOREST JUMP

Robert Earnshaw is so happy to score for a Forest team who have raced up the table

Wednesday January 27,2010

By Tony Paskin

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Nottingham Forest 5 QPR 0

Could this finally be the year when, after a decade of false dawns, Forest return to the land of cash and controversy?

The portents are promising, but manager Billy Davies is still having none of it.

This romp took his team level with leaders Newcastle, and it appears set to be a straight fight between these two for the title.

But Davies said: “Promotion? Not a chance. At the moment we have achieved nothing.

“There are too many sporting moments in days gone by where teams or individuals have blown it at the final hurdle. We can’t afford to do anything except prepare for the next match.

“This is a good side and we are learning. We were clinical against Rangers and these were an important two points gained over West Brom. But there are a lot of teams outside the top six who will still believe they can catch us. And they can.”

Mick Harford had a torrid return to the City Ground in only his second game as QPR’s caretaker boss.

Harford, acting manager at Forest in 2004 following the departure of his old mentor Joe Kinnear, said his side had been roundly beaten.

“That kind of performance is not acceptable and the players know that,” he said. “We gave away three easy goals and never had a shot on target in the first half. And, for a QPR side, that is a sin because we have some very good players. But on the night we just couldn’t deal with what they threw at us.”

Robert Earnshaw’s double and Dexter Blackstock’s penalty set Forest on their way towards a sixth straight home win before goals from Chris Cohen and James Perch extended Davies’ incredible unbeaten run.

Forest now head into their bitter local argument with Derby in the best possible spirits. The previous time Davies attempted to quell expectations about going up ended with promotion via the play-offs at Derby, but it does not look as if Forest will need that lottery.

They have not lost in the Championship since September and their only defeat in 20 games arrived in the FA Cup against Premier League Birmingham.

Now, with Davies battling to complete two or three deals before the window closes, optimism is building.

Crystal Palace wonderkid Victor Moses remains Davies’ top target and a bid of about £1.5million stands far more chance after Palace slipped into administration yesterday.

Forest also want to convert Pole Radoslaw Majewski’s loan into a permanent arrangement, but their hopes of taking on Aston Villa’s Nicky Shorey for the rest of the season appear bleak after an injury to Villa defender Stephen Warnock.

The chance of going level with Newcastle perhaps contributed to an impatient start by Forest.

However, they established a 17th-minute lead with their first real snarl of aggression. Mikele Leigertwood’s clumsy foul on former QPR striker Dexter Blackstock presented Earnshaw with a chance that he duly converted from 20 yards.

The hosts increased their lead just three minutes later, Paul Anderson robbing Nigel Quashie and releasing Earnshaw for another emphatic finish.

QPR still harbour promotion aspirations but surely the revolving door outside their manager’s office has wrecked such hopes for this season.

Owner Flavio Briatore must stop wielding the axe with the velocity of his Formula One cars if he is to achieve anything. But Harford’s prospects looked grim when his defenders deserted their posts after 32 minutes.

Kaspars Gorkss felled Earnshaw, with the only surprise being that he spurned the chance of a hat-trick, handing spot-kick duties to Blackstock.

QPR conceded again four minutes into the second period when Cohen’s piledriver almost took Carl Ikeme into the net with it. Then, 13 minutes from time, Rangers failed to clear and Perch tapped home.

NottINGHAM Forest (4-4-2): Camp; Gunter, Morgan (Chambers 72), Wilson, Cohen; Perch, McKenna, Majewski, Anderson (Tyson 69); Blackstock, (Adebola 78), Earnshaw. Booked: McKenna. Goals: Earnshaw 18, 21, Blackstock (pen) 32, Cohen 49, Perch 78.

QPR (4-4-2): Ikeme; Hill, Gorkss, Connolly, Stewart (Ramage 46); Taarabt, Leigertwood, Quashie, Faurlin (Ephraim 46); Buzsaky, Simpson (Vine 69). Booked: Buzsaky, Taarabt, Quashie.

Referee: E Ilderton (Tyne and Wear).