Lyle Taylor netted twice to help Nottingham Forest secure back-to-back wins for the first time this season, courtesy of a hard fought 2-0 win over Wycombe.
The striker took his tally for the season to four with a first-half header and a well taken second after the break, to help Chris Hughton’s side follow up on a 2-1 win over Coventry with another win over a newly-promoted side.
Wycombe came into the game in good form, following wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham, and did have chances to get themselves back into the game, but could not find a way past Forest stopper Brice Samba.
Daryl Horgan had an early effort for Wycombe but his long-range shot was always bending away from goal. Ryan Allsop had to make a save to keep out Taylor, after Miguel Guerrero’s through ball had created the first opportunity for Forest.
The home side were a whisker away from taking the lead when Sammy Ameobi hammered a shot from the edge of the box, which was deflected narrowly wide for a corner.
Forest had the ball in the net through a Taylor header, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Tobias Figueiredo made a vital clearance as Wycombe threatened from a corner – although his header ended up fizzing rather too close to goal for comfort. Ameobi’s cross almost ended in an own goal at the other end, as Joe Jacobson prodded wide of his own post.
Forest did make the breakthrough when Cyrus Christie floated in a lovely cross from the right side of the penalty area, picking out Taylor’s run towards the far post, where the striker headed home emphatically in the 28th minute.
Wycombe, who were without manager Gareth Ainsworth in the dugout as he recovered from back surgery, made a double change in the 56th minute, with veteran striker Adebayo Akinfenwa and former Forest winger Garath McCleary coming on.
Figueiredo had to make a vital headed interception to deny Akinfenwa a great chance as he threatened to ghost in at the far post. From the resulting corner, Akinfenwa had a header deflected wide.
McCleary also came close with a flicked header but Guerrero’s curling free-kick was only marginally off target as Forest looked for a second goal.
Akinfenwa came close again with a header, which bounced the wrong side of the post by no more than a foot.
But Forest took a step closer to victory when Knockaert broke down the right side. Taylor picked up possession and drove into the Wycombe penalty area, before firing a powerful shot beyond Allsop, who got something on the ball but could not keep it out, in the 74th minute.
Akinfenwa had another effort cleared in a packed goalmouth, as Wycombe pushed hard.
But sub Harry Arter was denied a spectacular goal by a fine save from Allsop as Forest came close to adding further gloss to the scoreline.
