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By JOE BERNSTEIN Published: 03: 56 AEDT, 1 December 2024 | Updated: 05: 23 AEDT, 1 December 2024 3 View comments The rich autumn of Chris Wood’s career continues apace with the 32-year-old New Zealander equalling Nottingham Forest’s Premier League goals record to put them back in the top six. Wood’s penalty early in the second half matched Bryan Roy’s club tally of 24 goals and while the award was soft for a touch on Jota Silva, the striker’s powerful finish into the roof of the net was not. It was Woods’ ninth goal of the season for his club to which he added five for his country during the last international break. Ipswich boss Kieran Mc Kenna didn’t lash out at the penalty decision, pointing out that the culprit Sammie Szmodics didn’t need to make a challenge, but Blues defender Cameron Burgess was more critical of Jota’s role. ‘He went down in a heap and made a loud noise and a squeal, they sometimes get given because of that, ’ he said. ‘Szmods didn't think he'd got him. ’ Not that Wood cared as he sunk the winner. For someone whose move from Newcastle two years ago didn’t get pulses racing at The City Ground, a return of 24 league goals in 51 appearances is impressive, particularly as he regularly makes 23, 000-mile round trips back home for World Cup qualifiers. Chris Wood's second-half penalty secured victory for Nottingham Forest against Ipswich The referee had pointed to the spot after Sammie Szmodics brought down Jota Silva in the box Wood duly converted from 12 yards to become Forest's joint-highest Premier League goalscorer Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels 6: Aina 7, Milenkovic 7, Murillo 8, Williams 6 (Moreno 77); Yates 6, Anderson 7 (Dominguez 71 6); Silva 6. 5 (Elanga 78), Gibbs-White 6. 5 (Morato 78), Hudson-Odoi 6 (Sosa 88); Wood 6. 5 Subs unused: Miguel (Gk), Awoniyi, Toffolo, Ward-Prowse Goal: Wood pen 49 Booked: Gibbs-White Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo 7 Ipswich (4-2-3-1): Muric 7: Tuanzebe 5. 5 (H Clarke 79), O’Shea 6, Burgess 7, Davis 5. 5; Cajuste 5. 5 (Taylor 74 6), Morsy 6; Hutchinson 7 (Broadhead 79), Szmodics 6 (J Clarke 64 6. 5), Chaplin 6 (Burns 74 6); Delap 6 Subs unused: Walton (Gk), Al-Hamadi, Townsend, Luongo Booked: Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Cajuste Manager: Kieran Mc Kenna 6 Referee: Tony Harrington 5. 5 ‘We are delighted for his record, ’ said manager Nuno Espirito Santo. ‘I believe players can continue in their thirties as long as they take care of themselves with nutrition and rest. Chris has the ambition and takes care of his body perfectly. ’ While Wood took the match-winning salvos, Ipswich’s young pretender Liam Delap was well marshalled by Forest’s formidable centre-halves Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic. Delap’s major contribution was a negative. When Omari Hutchinson’s shot was tipped away by Matz Sels with the game goalless the centre-forward stretched a leg to divert the ball away from team-mate Conor Chaplin who was about to tap in. Ipswich remain in the bottom three and their home game against Crystal Palace on Tuesday already looks something of a six-pointer. ‘We are frustrated. We feel we are in games but we also know to win there is another step to take and we didn’t manage that today, ’ said Mc Kenna. Both sides were denied by goal-line clearances in the opening stages, Szmodics denying home skipper Ryan Yates and then Ola Aina hacking away a header by Burgess. But chances grew scarce thereafter and Forest’s spot-kick after 49 minutes was debatable. The slightest of touches by Szmodics who unwisely dangled a leg sent Jota hurtling and once referee Tony Harrington pointed to the spot, there was little chance of VAR overturning. Most disappointingly for the Suffolk club, they were passive in chasing an equaliser. The only notable save Sels had to make was comfortable from substitute Jack Clarke. Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group