Platt's plight as Bergen joys second coming
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Your support makes all the difference.David Platt was left contemplating the size of the task ahead of him if Nottingham Forest are to mount a serious push for promotion to the Premiership. They were seriously outclassed by a confident Blackburn side who were welcoming back their prodigal son Henning Berg.
David Platt was left contemplating the size of the task ahead of him if Nottingham Forest are to mount a serious push for promotion to the Premiership. They were seriously outclassed by a confident Blackburn side who were welcoming back their prodigal son Henning Berg.
Rovers gave a second "debut" to Berg, who rejoined the club on Friday on a three-month loan from Manchester United with a view to a permanent move. The Norwegian central defender had struggled for a regular first-team place over the last year at Old Trafford and Graeme Souness, the Rovers manager, swooped to bring him back to Ewood Park. The 31-year-old was in the Rovers squad that carried all before them in the mid-Nineties, including winning the Premiership in 1995, before he left to join United in a £4m deal.
With him back in the defence, Blackburn looked every inch the First Division's title favourites as they brushed aside the challenge of Nottingham Forest at Ewood Park.
Two goals inside four minutes midway through the half from Matt Jansen and a penalty from David Dunn put Blackburn in control. In fact it could all have happened a lot earlier when, inside two minutes, Nathan Blake was desperately unlucky to see a shot on the turn hit the base of a post and roll along the line before being cleared.
But Rovers' pressure told in the 16th minute when Jansen leapt to head home his third goal of the season from Garry Flitcroft's right-wing cross. Forest had not recovered before they found themselves two down. Jansen was fouled in the box and Dunn, who scored a hat-trick of penalties in midweek when Rovers swept aside Rochdale in the Worthington Cup, slotted home from the spot again.
Only a superb save from Dave Beasant prevented Jansen adding a third while John Curtis also went close with a volley. Forest threatened only occasionally but theirplayer-manager David Platt went close while Jack Lester was unlucky to see a header crash against the Rovers bar.
The second half did not bring Forest much joy, with Blake adding a third goal to seal Platt's woe.
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