Chris Wood scores and stars in Premier League start under new Nottingham Forest manager

All Whites skipper Chris Wood scored a goal and grabbed an assist in possibly his best English Premier League game for Nottingham Forest.

Wood was largely used off the substitutes’ bench under former Forest manager Steve Cooper, who was sacked last week.

But the 32-year-old got a start and played the full 90 minutes under new gaffer Nuno Espirito Santo on Saturday (Sunday NZ time) against Bournemouth.

Bournemouth won 3-2 after a hat-trick by the in-form Dominic Solanke with Forest battling for over an hour with 10 men after defender Wily Boly was sent off for a second yellow card in the 24th minute.

But Wood impressed up front for Forest, creating the opening goal for Anthony Elanga in the 47th minute after picking the pocket of Bournemouth substitute Alex Scott.

Solanke struck twice in a seven-minute spell to put Bournemouth ahead 2-1, but Wood equalised in the 74th minute when he headed home his fourth goal of the season – and the 59th top flight goal of his career.

Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

Chris Wood has scored his fourth goal of the season for Nottingham Forest. (File photo).

Solanke completed his hat-trick with a stoppage time winner to take his goals tally to seven in the last seven games.

But Wood emerged with credit after the match.

The Nottingham Post’s website rated the Kiwi 8 out of 10 as Forest’s top performer.

“Quite possibly his best game for the club,’’ its report said. “Influential throughout. Set the tone early on with a nice bit of skill to get a shot away, then set up Elanga and found the net himself.”

A Nottingham Forest supporter, commenting on the website, suggested Wood “seemed like a man out to prove a point”.

Meanwhile, Nuno criticised the Boly red card as a “very bad decision. A decision that totally changed thea game.”

Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Willy Boly R) of Nottingham Forest reacts after being shown a red card, following a second yellow card.

He said the first yellow card was “fair’’, but felt “for the second the foot of Boly is under the foot of the Bournemouth player, so the approach [from the referee] should be more cautious”.

Nuno felt the referee should have waited for help from his assistant or VAR before making the red card call.

Forest, who have won just one of their last 14 matches, dropped to 17th place – two points above the relegation zone.