Dean Henderson drops clanger at worst possible time to hand Nottingham Forest victory

NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1-0 CRYSTAL PALACE: Dean Henderson apologised to the travelling fans as his blunder helped his former employers get one over his current, with pressure intensifying on Oliver Glasner

Dean Henderson re-affirmed his status as a fans’ favourite at the City Ground – by dropping a clanger that gifted Nottingham Forest victory.

Crystal Palace ’s keeper had been a cult hero in the red part of the east Midlands – spending a successful season on loan from Manchester United as the two-time European Cup winners returned to the big-time. But his mistake from Chris Wood’s 65th-minute shot gave Nuno Espirito Santo a first home triumph in 203 days – and extended the Eagles’ winless run to eight.

Nuno, having triggered a suspended sentence for improper conduct, would have been a contented man sat as he was in the Peter Taylor Stand. And somewhere – following his five-match stadium ban for improper conduct – Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis would have been happier still.

The key moment arrived when Trevor Chalobah headed clear a hopeful punt up the left channel by Alex Moreno, the New Zealand international decided to take his chance.

His shot was well-struck and reasonably directed but Henderson – in front of watching interim England boss Lee Carsley who handed him his first start for the Three Lions last week against Finland – was late on the shot.

It should have been collected but the ball dribbled into the net off his elbow. Any goal was long overdue during a game in which both sides showed their determination to make something happen in front of goal.

That it didn’t was due to a string of poor misses by the hosts. And the inspired second-half show of Forest’s current keeper Matz Sels.

Twice he produced stunning stops to prevent the Eagles from finding the net. The first was of the highest order. A fingertip stop from the impressive Eberechi Eze after the England man tried his luck from over 30 yards with a howitzer of a drive.

And the second was a reaction save that left Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner holding his head in his hands in disbelieft after Jeffrey Schlupp’s snap-shot.

Glasner can feel hard done by that his team’s efforts were not rewarded with more tangible reward.

But Forest will also claim – rightly – that if it weren’t for the wastefulness of their forwards throughout – and, in fairness, some heroics from Henderson, that they should have taken the lead far earlier than they did.

Eze set the tone with a 25-yarder that whistled so close to Sels’s right-hand post that it almost kissed the paint on the woodwork.

Wood saw a close-range efffort saved by Henderson and then the same player headed over an Elliot Anderson centre

Eddie Nketiah then clipped the angle of the woodwork with a crisp drive after Forest, who had been too easily picked off in midfield, surrendered possession.

Forest defender Alex Moreno then nodded a half-cleared ball back into the box only to see Ryan Yates nod it into the upright.

It was breathless stuff. It needed a moment of inspiration – or a mistake – and Henderson provided it.

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