Forest can flatten Derby with strong second-half performance

After a strong start to the Championship campaign, Nottingham Forest have started to struggle in recent weeks and are currently in the midst of a three-game winless run, so can they turn it around on Sunday against bitter rivals Derby County?

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Forest have only won two of their seven league games so far and goals haven’t exactly been flying in either, with just ten scored, but despite all this they sit tenth in the table and are still 11/2 to gain promotion come May.

The oddity here is that until suffering a 2-1 reverse at the hands of Leeds United last weekend, Forest were enjoying an unbeaten start to the season thanks to four draws from the first six games – and they have earned seven points from their three home performances.

Manager Sean O’Driscoll therefore will be confident that his side can produce a positive response to the defeat at Elland Road when their great east Midlands rivals visit the City Ground on Sunday lunchtime.

Eight of the previous nine meetings between the two sides at the City Ground have seen three goals or more scored and a repeat is priced at 91/100, while Forest to win a game of over 2.5 goals looks a great option at 39/20.

Luckily for Forest, they can forget about their dodgy away form of three points from four games for this week, but that luxury is not afforded to Nigel Clough’s men, who have also failed to win on their travels so far this campaign and have only managed to score once in those three away games.

No wonder, then, that Forest are installed as pre-match favourites in bwin’s 3-way betting market at 17/20, while Derby are at long odds of 31/10 and the draw is 12/5.

And if O’Driscoll’s side are to stretch their unbeaten home record, then it may well be worth betting on them to do so with a very strong second-half performance.

The two-time European Cup winners have enjoyed a far superior record in the second 45 minutes of their games, when they have scored eight goals – compared to just two in the opening 45 minutes. Derby, on the other hand, are completely the opposite as they would be three points better off currently if all their matches finished at half-time.

With such contrasting records, the half-time/full-time market is definitely one to focus on, especially as a whopping 28/1 is being offered on Forest to win the game after trailing at the interval, while Forest to win after a drawn first half is a tempting 4/1 chance.

Punters registering with bwin can claim a free £20 bet and placing this on the draw/Forest selection would return an impressive £100 if the hosts do indeed take all three points in this fashion.

Another area of betting to think about is how many goals will be scored, because although the current goalscoring form of the Reds in particular may not suggest it, there could well be plenty of goals in this game.

Eight of the previous nine meetings between the two sides at the City Ground have seen three goals or more scored and a repeat is priced at 91/100, while Forest to win a game of over 2.5 goals looks a great option at 39/20.

It’s worth noting that of those eight games, there have been three in which five or more goals have been scored and anyone who reckons this mark will be reached again on Sunday can find 19/4 on over 4.5 goals.

Recommended bet: Nottingham Forest to win @ 17/20
Outside punt: Nottingham Forest to win a game of over 2.5 goals @ 39/20
Long shot: Nottingham Forest to win after a drawn first half @ 4/1

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