West Ham brush Forest aside

Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole were among the goals as West Ham strolled to a third consecutive away win, easing past stuttering Nottingham Forest 4-1.

The experienced duo headed home in the first half after Forest captain Luke Chambers had put through his own goal.The hosts hit back when substitute Joel Lynch fed Robbie Findley to reduce the deficit midway through second half, but Winston Reid’s goal left manager Steve McClaren in no doubt about the huge task facing him at the City Ground when he tapped in a fourth for the Irons with 13 minutes remaining. Elsewhere, Martin Taylor headed a late equaliser against his former team to give Watford a share of the points against Birmingham at Vicarage Road.

Hornets defender Taylor, who spent six years with Birmingham before switching to Hertfordshire in 2010, scored in stoppage-time after Chris Wood’s 89th-minute finish appeared to have handed the visitors all three points.

Marvin Sordell had popped up ten minutes earlier to draw Watford level from long distance with what was only the fourth effort on target of the afternoon. Adam Rooney looked to have settled an encounter lacking any real tempo or drive when he poked the Blues into a half-time lead from close range, pouncing after David Murphy had headed Jean Beausejour’s corner back across goal.