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Forest started the New Year with a superb performance of determination, effort and skill. Right from the start, with Forest having the benefit of a strong wind at their back, they pressed the Belmont players for possession and harassed them all over the pitch. The pressure immediately created chances when the ball was won in the centre field by Tom Barley and played through the middle of the Belmont defence for Grant Cumming to chase onto. Just as he was about to shoot a superb challenge took the ball away from him, but this set the tone for the game. Forest’s midfield of Tom Pearson, Jack Douglas and Tom Barley continued to win the ball before it had even passed the half way line and released either to the left for Conor Bartrip, or the right for Jack Hawthorn to latch onto. Countless chances were created but it took until the 23^rd minute for Forest to make the breakthrough. A managerial master stroke saw Conor and Jack switch wings. Immediately the ball was won on the left played into Grant in the centre who swiftly shifted the ball onto Conor on the right edge of the Belmont goal area. His first time shot was ferociously hit and buried into the far corner. The Belmont keeper stood little chance and could only watch helplessly. 

Forest continued to pile on the pressure and played some excellent football when they won possession. Alex Chapman, at right back began to raid down the flank aided by some excellent play from Conor. One move saw Alex put a sweeping cross into the centre which was only just cleared by a Belmont defender for a corner. Minutes later and Alex again crossed for Nathan Clarke to head from 6 yards out into the hands of the keeper when a foot either side would have seen Forest double the lead. But eventually the 2^nd did come and again it came from good play down the Forest right. Tom Barley this time had a long range shot, although he will claim it was a cross, which fell to Nathan on the 6 yard box. He skilfully used the pace of the cross to side foot the ball into the net.

The first half domination should have led to more goals with Elliott Thwaites a virtual spectator in goal and Forest knew that the 2^nd half was going to be a lot tougher.

If anything the wind became stronger in the 2^nd half and Belmont came out determined to make a fight of the game. They now exerted pressure on Forest who were finding it difficult to clear the ball over the half way line. This time it was the Forest defence that took control. Paul O’Brien and the ever dependable Greg Fedden at the centre of the Forest defence withstood the barrage superbly. The Belmont pressure led to a string of corners which were swung into the centre of the Forest goal. Only one of these corners managed to find a Belmont head with the Forest defence clearing superbly on the other occasions. The effort and desire to win this game was evident for all to see. Then from a Belmont corner Forest broke away from the incessant pressure. In the 53^rd minute, Grant raced forward into the Belmont half and latched onto the through ball. He was chased by the Belmont defenders and again was thwarted just at the last minute but his blocked shot at the edge of the area bounced to his left and into the path of Matt Huckle. Matt coolly slotted the ball pass the advanced keeper for Forest’s third.

The Belmont players’ heads dropped at what appeared to be a killer blow. Whilst the weather conditions meant that Belmont continued to have most of the territorial advantage, they struggled to create any clear-cut chances. Elliott was forced into a good save from distance but it wasn’t until the 61^st minute that Belmont made a breakthrough. After having no luck with corners being crossed directly into the goal area, Belmont worked a good short-corner that saw the ball moved to the edge of the Forest area where it was met by a superb shot from the Belmont No. 4 which nestled in the top left hand corner of the goal giving the keeper no chance.

But Forest’s fitness now began to tell. Even against the wind they began to break from their own half. Nathan Clarke, having one of his best games raided down the left wing. On another day he perhaps would have scored a hat-trick. One of the best moves of the game saw Nathan released again down the left-wing by Jack Hawthorn. As Nathan held the ball up at the edge of the area, Jack Douglas who had started the move, sprinted forward and Nathan laid the ball across for him to smash the ball just over the bar.

This was a superb team performance by the Forest team. Man of the Match however went to Grant Cumming whose efforts throughout the game caused pressure on the Belmont players and was always an outlet for the Forest team.