Last updated on .From the section Championship

Lewis Grabban puts Forest ahead with his 10th goal in his last 11 Championship outings

Two goals in three minutes gave dominant Nottingham Forest a well-deserved win at Hull City.

Neither side could force a save in a first half which Forest dominated, with Lewis Grabban dragging the best chance wide when put through by Joao Carvalho.

The game exploded into life when a sliced clearance dropped kindly for Grabban to put Forest ahead from close range after Matty Cash's shot had been palmed away by goalkeeper David Marshall.

The lead was doubled just minutes later when Jordy de Wijs deflected Joe Lolley's shot past Marshall, and only the efforts of the City keeper prevented further punishment.

Hull have found goals hard to come by at the Kcom Stadium this season, scoring just seven in nine matches, and they showed few signs of improving that record, rarely testing a defence which has conceded just once in their last five league outings.

But, while Forest had two thirds of first-half possession as the hosts sat off, with Lolley and Cash particularly threatening on the flanks, they struggled to find a final pass to carve out a clear chance.

The Tigers improved briefly after a passive first half, and drew the first save of the match when Kamil Grosiciki, who captained Poland in midweek, forced Costel Pantilimon to tip over his 35-yard free-kick.

But, with that deserved two-goal lead finally secured, the visitors relaxed and cut loose.

Marshall limited the damage with saves from Lolley and Cash, and Jarrod Bowen's last-ditch challenge stopped Jack Colback from adding a third when through on goal.

Forest, who have lost just once in their last 12 league matches, stay in seventh, a point outside the play-off places, while Hull's fifth home defeat of the campaign drops them to 23rd.

Hull City manager Nigel Adkins:

"We've gifted them the opportunity to win the game and they have gone and capitalised on that.

"It's very frustrating. It's another shocking goal from an individual mistake and then they get a deflection (for the second goal).

"I was very disappointed with our final half (an hour) - we were nowhere near where we need to be - but you've got to give Forest credit as they passed the ball well."

Nottingham Forest manager Aitor Karanka:

"I'm over the moon. I'm very happy. We had lots of chances and we were really confident on the pitch, but I told them at half-time that we needed to be more clinical and ambitious.

"In the second half we were more ambitious. And with the quality we have on the pitch, we will score goals and win games.

"At the start of the season I said that this team needed time, because we changed a lot of players in the summer. But we are showing we are still improving and I'm really pleased.

"We want to keep growing and with this quality on the pitch we can do nice things."