Injury woe for Forest's Lester

Nottingham Forest striker Jack Lester has been ruled out for the season after a scan revealed he suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in the defeat at Derby.

The 29-year-old was stretchered off five minutes into the second half in only his third game back at Forest.

Lester has undergone minor surgery and will have a second operation in the new year.

Manager Joe Kinnear told the club’s official website, www.nottinghamforest.co.uk: “It’s a terrible blow, most of all for the lad but for the club as well.

“He had settled straight back in after returning to the City Ground from Sheffield United and made the kind of impact we hoped he would. Then this happens. He will be back but we just have to get on with life without him for the rest of the season.”