Helsingor 2-1 Forest
Autor: Nick Richardson
Nottingham Forest suffered defeat against Helsingor in their last friendly before returning to the UK.
The Reds crossed the Danish border to face the second-tier side but fell two goals behind after superb strikes by Martin Koch and Ricki Olsen.
Second-half substitute Tyler Walker ensured the strong Forest contingent had a goal to cheer however when he bagged an 88th-minute consolation.
Dougie Freedman handed starts to new signings Jamie Ward and Matt Mills, while trialists Darius Henderson and Paul Taylor were given their chance to impress up front.
Youngster Roger Riera started the match at right back, with Stephen McLaughlin his opposite, and Jamie Paterson occupied a central midfield role alongside David Vaughan.
Dimitar Evtimov took his place between the sticks but within a minute he was beaten in stunning style, Koch looping the ball into the Bulgarian’s far corner with the outside of his boot from the edge of the area.
Forest’s first response came on nine minutes after Burke controlled the ball down the right and knocked it inside for Ward. The forward struck it goalwards from just outside the area but couldn’t beat Mikkel Bruhn in the Helsingor goal.
Goalscorer Koch was in menacing mood and nearly made it 2-0 on 13 minutes when he danced his way past a number of defenders and into the box.
Evtimov stood firm to make a good save before claiming the ball from the resultant corner.
Clear-cut chances were proving hard to come by for Forest, with Henderson and then Ward failing to meet crosses from McLaughlin and Chris Burke respectively.
Riera found himself in the referee’s notebook after he pulled back Koch on the edge of the area as half-time neared, but Jonas Rasmussen could only fire the ball over the bar from the free-kick.
Freedman made five substitutions at half-time, sending on Jorge Grant, Tyler Walker, Robert Tesche, Ben Osborn and Jack Hobbs. They replaced McLaughlin, Vaughan, Ward, Riera and Matt Mills.
Grant and Osborn filled in at right and left back respectively, while Taylor dropped in alongside Paterson in central midfield.
Burke, who scored Forest’s equaliser in Sunday’s draw with Mjallby, was giving his full back a tortuous evening and the Scotsman presented Henderson with two chances to score shortly after the restart.
The striker could only flick the ball wide after meeting Burke’s low cross at the near post before, minutes later, Henderson was released into the area by the winger. With the angle against him, he failed to beat the keeper.
Helsingor followed up with two chances of their own, Andre Riel forcing a strong save from Evtimov before Klaus Lykke headed the ball over the bar after a cross from the right.
On the hour mark, Taylor sent a dipping effort just wide for The Reds before Freedman made two more substitutions as Burke and Henderson were replaced by Henri Lansbury and Michael Mancienne.
Taylor tried his luck again moments later, embarking on a strong run before seeing his sweetly-struck effort dealt with by Bruhn.
But the home side were refusing to rest on their laurels and, shortly after Evtimov produced an excellent save to deny Olsen, he was beaten by a screamer from the same player, who volleyed the ball into the top corner from Koch’s knock-down.
More substitutions followed for The Reds as trialists Nicky Maynard and Robert Stillo (GK) entered the fray along with Danny Fox. Evtimov, Paterson and Kelvin Wilson came off.
Good hold up play by Maynard on 78 minutes teed the striker up for a shot but the ball took a nick off a defender, making it easy for the keeper to collect.
Shortly afterwards, his strike partner Walker raced on to a long ball over the top and would have been clean through had it not been for a last-ditch challenge by Kasper Enghardt.
But the young striker was not to be denied a goal as, with two minutes of normal time remaining, he controlled the ball well in the area before firing it low into the net.
Tesche had a half-chance to equalise in the second minute of added time but a Helsingor defender positioned himself to divert the German’s volley wide of goal, ensuring his side ended the match victorious.
Attendance: 747
Quelle: nottinghamforest.co.uk
