Nottingham Forest U21 beat Luton Town U21 2:0 in the Premier League Cup group stage on Thursday evening. The result keeps the hosts in contention while leaving the visitors chasing points they haven't found in a while. F. Smith opened the scoring early, and Z. Blake added a second after the break to end a barren spell for Forest.
And here's the thing about that first goal — it came in the ninth minute, before Luton had settled into their shape. Smith finished off a move that caught the visitors cold, and by then the visitors were already on the back foot. Forest controlled the tempo from there, working short corners and pressing high up the pitch.
Things shifted after the break when Luton tried to find an equaliser. Blake doubled the lead in the 64th minute, and that was the moment the game was really decided. The hosts saw the game out without taking unnecessary risks, keeping their shape and not letting the visitors through.
What stands out is Forest's recent form compared to Luton's struggles. The hosts have won three of their last five, including a 2:0 victory over Crystal Palace U21. Luton, by contrast, have lost four of their last five and haven't kept a clean sheet since December.
To be fair, this wasn't a perfect performance from Forest. They gave away too many cheap fouls in midfield and let the game breathe at times. But they took their chances when they mattered, and that's what separates teams in this competition.