Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood scored a superb hat-trick against his former club Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Tuesday to give his struggling side a much-needed 3-1 victory in the Premier League.
With this win under new coach Nuno Espirito Santo, Forest lifted to 16th in the table on 17 points, five above the relegation zone, while Newcastle’s fourth defeat in their last five league games left them seventh on 29 points.
The Magpies side, that had only conceded four goals at home this season, allowed Chris Wood, who was loaned to Forest by Newcastle in January before being signed permanently, to score three times in one game.
Newcastle took the lead in the 23rd minute when Alexander Isak won a penalty as he tried to spin away from Forest full back Ola Aina, and the Swedish striker stepped up to stroke home the spot-kick low to left of keeper Matt Turner.
Wood brought his side level just before the break with a close-range tap-in from Anthony Elanga’s centre.
Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White flashed a header just wide and Elanga should have put the visitors ahead six minutes after the break, but his weak effort with the goal at his mercy was easily dealt with by Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka.
Newcastle’s defence failed to heed those warnings, however, and Wood put them ahead in the 53rd minute with a brilliant solo effort from another counter-attack, dinking the ball past Dubravka with his left foot after a clever run.
New Zealand international Wood completed his hat-trick on the hour mark with another well-taken goal on the counter, rounding Dubravka and coolly slotting home to secure a well-deserved win.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor, editing by Ed Osmond)
