There was little in the way of celebration, beyond a few simple handshakes and high fives with the young players who surrounded him. But it felt like a significant moment — 215 days since his last Premier League goal, Chris Wood had found the net again.
The familiar Nottingham Forest anthem of Mull of Kintyre had played over the tannoy before kick-off but otherwise, the surroundings were very different from the City Ground as the New Zealand international made his return to action with the B team.
A crowd of no more than a few hundred people, made up of Forest fans, students from Loughborough University and a few hardy souls who had made the journey south from Newcastle, had to wait until the 11th minute to see Wood do what he does best.
As James Sinclair delivered a powerful cross-shot from the left side of the pitch, Wood’s movement had allowed him to find a yard of space — enough to guide the ball over the line from close range.
It will have felt like a landmark moment for the 34-year-old forward, who has been sidelined through injury since mid-October, when he last played for the Forest first team in a 3-0 defeat against Chelsea, Ange Postecoglou’s final game in charge.
Wood in action for Forest B against Newcastle at Loughborough (Paul Taylor/The Athletic)
Forest had hoped a knee injury would heal with rest but before a planned return to training just before Christmas, a scan showed that treatment was required to cure a cartilage issue.
Since then, another head coach, Sean Dyche, has been and gone without Wood playing again for Forest. But the latest incumbent, Vitor Pereira, will be delighted at the prospect of calling upon last season’s 20-goal top scorer.
The two goals Wood scored on the opening day win over Brentford on August 17 are still enough to make him Forest’s joint-third-top league goalscorer this season — a stat that sums up one of their biggest issues: a lack of firepower. Morgan Gibbs-White has delivered eight top-flight goals from his attacking-midfield role, with winger Callum Hudson-Odoi the next highest scorer with three.
Igor Jesus has netted 12 times since joining from Botafogo in the summer — but only twice in the Premier League. Lorenzo Lucca, the Italian signed from Napoli on loan in January, had not impressed before a much-improved display against Midtjylland.
Wood’s return could not be more timely. The environment in which he made that return must be taken into consideration. He was up against Miodrag Pivas, a 20-year-old Serbian central defender whose main recent first-team experience came during a loan spell with Willem II, and Ciaran Thompson, a 21-year-old who is also yet to secure first-team experience with Newcastle.
But even with the significant caveat of this being a B-team fixture, Wood delivered reason for encouragement in the 45 minutes he played, if only because of what his presence on the pitch signified.
Forest had been hopeful that he could be available for the final six games of their relegation fight. Sunday’s game at Tottenham will be too soon for him. But given that they return to Premier League action on April 12, against Aston Villa — just over three weeks from now — it is not inconceivable that Wood could play a part in the final seven. He was also included in the Europa League squad, so he could face Porto in the quarter-final.
“He is another leader, fantastic player and character and we need him for the last games,” said Pereira, following the penalty shootout victory over Midtjylland in Denmark on Thursday. That leadership was evident in Loughborough.
Vitor Pereira says Wood is a ‘leader’ (Kate McShane/Getty Images)
In the moments before kick-off, Wood could be seen giving last-minute advice to Archie Whitehall, pointing and gesturing to the Forest No 10 as if briefing him on the movements he would make in front of him. Again, even taking into account the standard of opposition, Wood’s movement looked sharp. He was adept at being in the right position, at the right time.
In the second minute, he bust a gut to find space at the far post, after Eric Moreira had burst into space down the right, only for the keeper to beat him to the ball. Wood battled gamely to get his head onto throw-ins and to win balls played down the channel. He toiled gamely to close down both the goalkeeper and opposition defenders, when Newcastle tried to play out from the back.
As well as he took his goal, he can be forgiven a moment of rustiness when he attempted to connect first time with a crisp cross from Moreira, only for the ball to hit his standing leg.
Wood was constantly gesturing to the players around him and offering guidance and encouragement. He had the body language of a man who was happy to be back out on the pitch.
A dummy run from the forward created the room for Zyan Blake to hit the foot of the post with a shot. A clever lay-off gave the lively Kalum Thompson a chance to hit a shot that was well charged down. Wood saw a low shot from the edge of the box comfortably saved, before Thompson — a 17-year-old winger who has been a B-team regular and who Forest have high hopes for — added a second with a rising shot. In the aftermath of that, Wood seemed to make a point of congratulating most of his teammates.
With Wood withdrawn at half-time, Forest went on to win 3-0, with substitute Donnell McNeilly adding an impressive third in the second half.
But it was Wood’s goal that created the biggest ripples, not just for Forest but for New Zealand, who will hope to have him as part of their World Cup squad in a few months.
