Cardiff City vs Nottingham Forest match report: Slade’s debut ends Forest’s unbeaten start

Cardiff City 2 Nottingham Forest 1

Nottingham Forest striker Britt Assombalonga (Getty Images)

The long wait to take charge of Cardiff proved to be worthwhile for Russell Slade as his managerial reign got off to a perfect start.

After a delay caused by legal wranglings and the international break, Slade finally led the Bluebirds as goals from Federico Macheda and Peter Whittingham helped end Forest’s unbeaten start to the season. Britt Assombalonga’s ninth goal of the season briefly gave the visitors hope of salvaging a point but it was not enough for Stuart Pearce’s side.

“It was worth that wait,” said Slade, who received a post-match message of congratulation from owner Vincent Tan.

“It has been frustrating but I could not have wished for a better start with that performance.”

Forest had crafted the best chance of a lively first 20 minutes, former Cardiff winger Chris Burke seeing his shot blocked on the line by Craig Noone. It proved a key intervention as the hosts went straight up the other end with Macheda slotting low to Karl Darlow’s right.

The second was more emphatic, Whttingham drilling a low shot into the bottom corner with minimal fuss. A disgusted Pearce sent his side out early for the second half but it was only in the final half-hour Forest finally found some fluency. But Assombalonga’s close-range finish two minutes from time did not lead to an equaliser.

Line-ups:

Cardiff (4-4-2): Marshall; Brayford, Manga, Morrison, Ralls; Noone, Whittingham, Gunnarsson (Adeyemi, 66, Daehli, 70), Pilkington; Le Fondre, Macheda (Jones, 61).

Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): Darlow; Hunt (Veldwijk, 77), Mancienne, Wilson, Lichaj (Harding, 46); Burke, Lansbury (Vaughan, 56), Tesche, Antonio; Fryatt, Assombalonga.

Referee: Michael Jones.

Man of the Match: Manga (Cardiff)

Match rating: 6/10