For the second week running a Ben Pringle goal was the difference between the sides as the Blues beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 at Portman Road. The on-loan Fulham man, the scorer of the only goal at Huddersfield last week, turned the winner home off the post in the 63rd minute after good work from Kevin Foley.

Daryl Murphy and Jonathan Douglas missed out due to injury with Luke Hyam and Kevin Bru coming into the starting line-up, while Andre Dozzell, aged 16 years and 308 days, was on the bench for the first time.

The Blues started in a 4-4-2 formation with Bru on the right and Freddie Sears and Brett Pitman up front.

Forest threatened first in the third minute, Bialkowski doing well to get down to his left to push Nelson Oliveira’s header wide from Ben Osborn’s left-wing cross. From David Vaughan flag-kick, Gary Gardner headed straight at Bialkowski.

Dexter Blackstock picked up the game’s first yellow card in the seventh minute for catching Christophe Berra with an arm.

On eight, Sears broke away through the middle and found Pitman but Forest keeper Dorus de Vries was able to claim his low shot from a tight angle on the left.

Town were taking control of the game and in the 12th minute a long spell of Blues’ passing in the Forest half ended with Bru threading in Sears on the right of the area and de Vries pawing his shot wide at his near post.

But Forest came back into it and in the 18th minute Bialkowski made another terrific save when Pitman surrendered possession midway inside the Blues half with only Berra and Tommy Smith back.

Blackstock fed Oliveira and the on-loan Benfica man curled a shot towards the left corner of the Polish keeper’s goal, but the Town number 33 got across superbly to push the ball around the post.

Both sides had had chances in an entertaining first quarter of the game which had swung one way and then the other and on 22 Sears brought the ball forward before hitting a shot which de Vries palmed away.

Ryan Mendes was sent away on the right of the Town area on 24 but Berra got across to divert the ball behind. From the corner taken by Vaughan, the visitors went close to going in front when skipper Matt Mills powered a header off the top of the bar.

Town threatened on 28 when de Vries punched away Bru’s curling right-wing cross ahead of Pitman and the ball fell to Foley 20 yards out, but his shot went well over. Soon after, Pitman sent over a low cross from the right but the Forest keeper was able to claim comfortably.

Berra reached a high ball before De Vries virtually on the goal-line on 33 following a corner but the keeper was able to claim before the Scotland international could get in a second header.

There was a scare for the Blues in the 36th minute when a ball forward sent Gardner through on goal but Berra did well to get across to dispossess the on-loan Villa man."

What had been an entertaining half lost its momentum somewhat in a quiet final 10 minutes but just before the fourth official indicated an additional minute, Forest should have gone in front. Osborn crossed from the left and Gardner headed over from a few feet out when it seemed easier to hit the target.

Seconds later, the referee’s whistle ended what had been a well-contested half in which both sides had had opportunities, although with the visitors having had the better of the chances, and in which the again excellent Bialkowski had been the busier keeper.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles replaced Bru ahead of the second half with the on-loan Arsenal youngster a more natural wideman than the Mauritius international.

Three minutes after the restart, Pitman required treatment after he was caught late by Eric Lichaj, much to annoyance of the rest of the Town players. Referee Andy Woolmer gave a freekick but kept his cards in his pocket.

Town started to dominate, passing the ball around confidently and winning it back whenever they lost it. However, without creating an opening.

On 58 Foley shot over from distance, then a minute later Osborn scraped a low shot not too far wide of Bialkowski’s right post.

On the hour mark Michael Mancienne, who played for Town boss Mick McCarthy at Wolves, was booked for a foul on Sears midway inside the Forest half. Pringle’s freekick came to nothing.

A minute later, Oliveira smashed a shot across the face of goal with the visitors now looking more threatening.

But on 63 the Blues went in front. Foley picked up a headed clearance and took it into the area on the left and found Pitman. The striker returned it to the midfielder, who played a low ball across to Pringle, who turned a shot past de Vries and into the net off the post to claim his second Town goal and his first at Portman Road.

The visitors looked to hit back and on 67 Mendes broke away on the right but hit his shot from too tight an angle and Bialkowski claimed with the ball having already gone out of play.

In the 69th minute Pitman forced de Vries to bat away a powerful strike from the right with the loose ball just evading Hyam.

Two minutes later, the former Bournemouth man saw another strike deflect into de Vries’s arms after the Blues had cut out a Forest counter-attack and launched a break of their own.

On 73 Hyam and Oliveira clashed as they tussled for the ball, provoking a brief melee on halfway. Referee Woolmer booked both main protagonists.

Maitland-Niles shot over from distance, before Forest made a 77th minute triple substitution with Jorge Grant, Deimantas Petravicius and Chris Cohen replacing Oliveira, Mendes and Bojan Jokic.

Four minutes after coming on Grant was booked for catching Foley with a high boot as the pair challenged for a bouncing ball in the Town area following a corner.

Town had held on to their lead with relative comfort as the game moved into four minutes of injury time in which Luke Varney replaced Pitman and then Paul Digby took over from goalscorer Pringle.

Forest tried to launch a late push for an equaliser in the closing couple of minutes but despite having a lot of the ball never seriously threatened a determined Blues backline and referee Woolmer’s whistle confirmed that the three points were Town’s.

After a first half in which Forest had the better chances, the Blues were much the better side after the break.

With no Murphy to hit early with high balls, Town were perhaps forced to keep the ball more than has been the case and dominated possession for long spells in the second half.

They worked hard to create an opening, which eventually came with the excellent Foley playing a vital role in making the chance for Pringle, who once again finished clinically when his chance came.

The result sees the Blues stay ninth in the table but now just a point off the top six - plus goal difference, although with a game in hand - with Sheffield Wednesday having lost 1-0 at home to Rotherham. Town next travel to bottom-placed Bolton on Tuesday.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Foley, Hyam, Bru (Maitland-Niles 46), Pringle (Digby, 90), Pitman (Varney 90), Sears. Unused: Gerken, Tabb, Dozzell, Touré.

Forest: De Vries, Lichaj, Mancienne, Mills (c), Jokic (Cohen 77), Mendes (Petravicius 77), Gardner, Vaughan, Osborn, Oliveira (Grant 77), Blackstock. Unused: Evtimov, Wilson, O'Grady, Tesche. Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire). Att: 20,658 (Forest: 1,088).

Photo: Action Images

weevil added 17:06 - Mar 5 Excellent, defense was pretty solid all game it seems, Bart didn't have to do a lot! Just need to keep this momentum going. COYB
5

alztar added 17:07 - Mar 5 a needed 3 points, very pleased. Never giving up hope on this season! COYB
9

GeorgiDoundarov added 17:12 - Mar 5 Even if we do it the difficult way we manage to grab the wins at the end of the day these couple of games. And this is really what the strong teams do. We must keep it this way. Next comes two away games and if we claim 4 pts at least we are in a great position for the fight for the 5th and 6th place. COYB
7

TimmyH added 17:14 - Mar 5 Back to back clean sheets! and 3 more points...clean sheets in my opinion will be key if we are going to stand a chance of getting that 6th spot. On the evidence of the 2nd half we deserved the win and maybe the absence of Murphy was a blessing as there was certainly less hoof in the play today. Well done all and lets see if we can get 3 on the bounce and then it's anybody's shout for that sixth spot.

20

Ruddockclyro added 17:21 - Mar 5 Played a great passing game today, knocked the ball around. No hoofball apart from Knudsen's first pass and the last 10 minutes. Good all round performance, man of the match Biakowski keeps us in games and the team deserved their win. COYB.
22

titanicclown added 17:24 - Mar 5 Kevin Foley was superb. I hope Skuse was watching how he demanded the ball off the back 4
23

Elizabeth added 17:31 - Mar 5 Great result ! Now for Bolton and we're in the mix again !! COYB !
4

therein61 added 17:32 - Mar 5 Enjoying a pint while waiting for my train, well done you boys for a hard earned 3 points I thought we looked solid at the back for most of the game(good saves Bart when we didn't) and all the boys put in a good shift which was very pleasing as was some excellent football played on the grass!!!! keep it up COYB
11

blueherts added 17:34 - Mar 5 Well done MM with Foley Sears up top good Played thru midfield without Murph up top Well done boys
15

Witchesaswell added 17:35 - Mar 5 It's amazing how people see matches differently, I was at the game and we just sneaked the win in a game with very little quality between 2 average championship teams. Still not pretty to watch but a very welcome 3 points.
-6

Keaneish added 17:37 - Mar 5 Infinite improvement. Ball retention...now there's a thing. Who'd have thought it would yield 3pts and a clean sheet!? I liked what I listened to on the radio. First time I've said that this season.
14

blueherts added 17:39 - Mar 5 Pringle a goal scoring midfielder Him and Foley done well in recent games Credit to MM
16

BlueMachines added 17:41 - Mar 5 Wow. What happened there today? We played football!! I knew we could do it. Bart kept us in it. Superb. Foley was fantastic. Agree on how he demanded the ball. A real change and a pleasure to see. Foley's tenacity got us the goal and although Pringle isn't a world beater he has a brilliant knack of popping up in the box to score. We haven't had a player like that lately. Really enjoyed today. On a less positive note AMN hasn't improved. Must do more when on the ball. Great 3 points and happy with that surprising performance!!

11

IpswichT62OldBoy added 17:47 - Mar 5 MM says we have Pringle 'til the end of the season. Do we own Foley?
2

prebsa added 17:48 - Mar 5 Thought we played some really nice football today. First half especially we passed and moved and there was some good flowing football. Second half a little more cagey but still some nice football. Thought forest should of scored today and Bart did well to keep it a 0 again. They also got round Knudsen too much for my liking. Sears through the middle really brought us to life mak My some good runs into space and with the ball and bringing others into play. Please please Mick don't put him back out wide! All round a great 3 points and Wednesday loosing aswell helps to the cause. Onwards and upwards. COYB

12

bluefeast added 17:51 - Mar 5 MM hand was forced and the lads picked proved point well done a great 3 points
11

stevieiriswattii added 17:58 - Mar 5 To start a few positives. Firstly, from where I was sitting, Bart kept us in the game in that first 20 minutes, a man of the match performance. Secondly, we tried to pass the ball on the ground and keep possession! Not all game, but at least it gave Freddie the ball at his feet at times, allowing him the chance to run at the defence. Thirdly, I was quite impressed with Foley, neat and tidy, seemingly always available, short passes and just trying to keep things moving. On the negative side, with a friends ticket I sat in The Co-op stand and boy oh boy there are a lot of moaning and whining fans sat there. After about five minutes, we had a little possession, trying to keep the ball, nothing incisive, just trying too settle the game down. Yet so many people were moaning that we weren't lumping it up the pitch and the first opportunity! For heavens sake! Any mistakes, misplaced passes or just some calm, slow play and the moaners would be on it straight away. I won't be sitting there again. I thought is was a solid performance, nothing fantastic, but at least some signs of progress and something to build on. Up the Town.

12

EssexTractor added 18:00 - Mar 5 Two super first half saves against and two woeful finishes by Forest suggested we could win. Sears showed for 30 minutes he could be our next player to be secured by a Premiership team. Afterwards his supply diminished despite his threat continuing to exist. A midfield combination surprised many by its ball retention although not thrusting open Forests rearguard asunder. Foley shined in that foursome finding time and space and was eventually personally rewarded by setting up Pringles goal. Other actual goal attempts were few, a Pitman shot from 25 yards stung the keepers hands. Until the last few minutes Forest seemed to have conceded defeat with little purposeful response, but as so often happens we spent those dying times with ten men in defence. Yes three points, yes arithmetically within play off contention , but realistically those also in contention will prove more of a threat than Nottingham Forest who like us, were once a force in the land, but reclaiming that status may be on a par with our attempts.

7

carsey added 18:03 - Mar 5 Much more pleasing on the eye and thanks to Bart for keeping us in it 1st half. Midfield much improved. AMN not at the races for me and needs a rocket up his backside. Sears through the middle has to be nailed on every game. Also pleased for Chambers after all the abuse he gets from Forest supporters. Same again for Bolton please McCarthy.
11

cornishnick added 18:15 - Mar 5 Yes, we own Foley. Signed a contract until the end of the season I believe
9

battyblue added 18:24 - Mar 5 Well done all welcome three points didn't go,didn't watch,didn't listen but by previous posts seems like a better performance than of late I hope it lasts.
3

muccletonjoe added 18:31 - Mar 5 Hoofball? What hoofball? Played it on the turf for most of the game and retained procession well, the passing wasn't exactly incisive but the performance was much better. Bart made two or three good saves in first half but we just about shaded it. On to Bolton.
7

jas0999 added 18:37 - Mar 5 Based on the second half performance I thought this was a deserved victory and was delighted with the home win and clean sheet. Performance wise it was much better, but certainly not vintage. We controlled the second half, although we did yet again struggle to create clear cut chances and in the end had to rely on our decent loan signing to score a quality goal. We are still in with a shout of the play offs with some easy looking home games. However, Bolton aside our remaining away games are tough to say the least. I would yet again like to see Evans free up some funds to sign one or two loanees for that final push. We relied again on Bart in the first half to keep us in the game, whilst although the midfield worked hard and did well, Pringle aside, it still lacked creativity and goals. A much improved showing. Well done all.

10

TractorBoy666 added 18:37 - Mar 5 The football was much more better to watch today and there are a few reasons for that, one being Sears playing up top and not really having a target man in Murphy, however when he is fit I would prefer him still up top instead of Pits. Mick Mills got it spot on, our defenders need to give the midfielders the ball more often because Murphy is just as good with the ball played to his feet than it being hoofed towards him aimlessly. Finally, Foley was brilliant today as a holding midfielder, demanding the ball at every moment he could from the defenders. I just wish our midfielders showed for the ball as much as this more often as it is so much better to watch. Forest were poor and are poor so a win was vital today, but please can we continue to try play football like today!

9

warktheline added 18:40 - Mar 5 Enjoyed reading the positive posts to date! Good to note we actually played our part in an attractive game of football. A most welcome 3 points.
10

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