Hat-trick hero Wood lauds Forest´s character after Brighton thrashing

Chris Wood lauded Nottingham Forest’s character after they responded from their thrashing at Bournemouth with a 7-0 rout of Brighton on Saturday.

Wood’s hat-trick led Forest to their biggest league victory (in any division) since beating Chelsea 7-0 at the City Ground in the top-flight back in April 1991.

Lewis Dunk’s own goal got Forest on their way before Morgan Gibbs-White brilliantly headed the ball beyond Bart Verbruggen from Anthony Elanga’s corner.

Wood got himself on the scoresheet just before the break before adding two goals in five minutes after the interval to complete his hat-trick, before Neco Williams and substitute Jota Silva concluded the scoring.

His treble saw Wood become the first Forest player to score a top-flight hat-trick at the City Ground since Nigel Clough did so against QPR in December 1987.

Wood has also scored 17 league goals this season, his outright most ever in a single Premier League campaign. Only Stan Collymore (22 in 1994-95) has scored more for Forest in a season in the competition.

However, Wood was quick to highlight the importance of his team-mates in a victory that moved Nuno Espirito Santo’s side level on points with second-placed Arsenal in the table.

“What a difference a week can make. Down in the dumps after last week,” Wood told TNT Sports, referring to the 5-0 loss at Bournemouth in Forest’s previous outing.

“It wasn’t us, it wasn’t like us, but today, that was definitely us.

“It is all credit to the team. [Elanga] puts it on a plate for me, so it makes my job easier every time. Then Morgs [Gibbs-White] handed me the penalty for the hat-trick.

“It’s fantastic, the boys have done superbly showing character to come back from last week. That is what we’re about.”

Two of Wood’s goals came from magnificent assists from Elanga, with the Swede also setting up Gibbs-White for Forest’s second.

Elanga is just the second Forest player to provide three or more assists in a single Premier League game, after Bryan Roy against Sheffield Wednesday in April 1995.

Only Chelsea duo Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson (12) have combined for more Premier League goals since the start of last season than Wood and Elanga (11).

Elanga’s 10 assists for Wood are the most one player has provided for a specific teammate during this period, and the Forest striker praised the connection he has formed with the former Manchester United winger.

“We know the relationship that we have. We have that bond, the connection, and he does superbly for me, and it shows in the statistics,” Wood said.

“A hat-trick of assists never goes unnoticed. The boy is on flames.”