Patient Matty Cash making the most of his starting chance at Nottingham Forest

Matty Cash has done his chances of starting Saturday's televised home match against Birmingham City no harm at all with two goals in a week to maintain Nottingham Forest's unbeaten start to the season.
Matty CashMatty Cash
Matty Cash

The versatile 21-year-old impressed by scoring one and winning the penalty which led to the second late on in the 2-2 draw at Wigan Athletic in the Championship last time out.

It came just days after he bagged a last minute equaliser against Bury in the EFL Cup which saw the Reds secure shootout success.

Cash has started in those last two games, following a substitute’s appearance to help Forest clinch a 1-0 league win over Reading, and is keen to cement his place in Aitor Karanka’s starting eleven.

“At the beginning of the season I wasn’t starting but I’ve been working hard in training and the manager told me that I would get my chance in the end,” said Cash. “It’s nice to score two goals in a week but I’ve got to carry on and continue helping the team.

“The size of the squad and the players that we have means it is always going to be tough to get in the side but if you’re not in the squad then you just have to keep your head up and give the manager a reason to put you back in.”

Hillal Soudani was quickest to react to Lewis Grabban’s saved penalty to ensure Forest left the DW Stadium with a point.

“It is a tough place to come but we kept ourselves in the game and managed to get a point right at the end so hopefully we can build on it now,” said Cash.

“We said in the changing room that this time last year we probably would have lost this game but now we’ve got the character and the spirit to go right until the last minute so that’s definitely a positive.

“It’s important for us to keep our unbeaten start to the season going and to keep the spirits high in the changing room. We’ve had a good start but the manager always keeps pushing us on and making sure we’re doing the right things.”

Forest’s unbeaten start will be tested when Gary Monk’s Birmingham visit The City Ground on Saturday for a 5.30pm kick off.