Blackpool 1-4 Nottingham Forest (EFL Championship) 02.04.22

Nottingham Forest excitingly returned from the international layoff with more intent, more goals and more encouragement that they are ready for the final leg and the all-important run in of the season as they look towards pushing into the playoffs and potentially even further beyond.

Forest were fabulous in the North West and started off in perfect fashion after just eleven minutes all be it with a little luck taken, when Philip Zinckernagel struck a shot which deflected off a defender and looped into the back of the net for a fortuitous opener.

The recalled Brice Samba saved smartly from Gary Madine on twenty minutes as the former Bolton striker headed a lofted cross towards goal before Brennan Johnson on the half hour made it two, volleying from inside the area into the bottom corner after good work by Djed Spence and Ryan Yates down the right.

Six minutes later Johnson made it three when Grimshaw miss-kicked a clearance straight to him, putting the ball through a defenders legs before dinking over the goalkeeper with confidence, the Welsh International netting his thirteenth league goal of the season in stunning confident fashion.

An unassailable lead at half time, the majority of the second half was played as a procession with a number of substitutions made before Scott McKenna sent one of those off the bench, Sam Surridge, through on goal, the former Bournemouth and Swansea striker making no mistake himself to smash home a third goal in Forest colours.

There was time for Blackpool to pull a goal back themselves as Callum Connolly hit home after a bit of pinball inside the away teams area but it was Forest’s day in the sun as the Reds all be it for a couple of hours at least, moved fifth in the table and into the promotion mix.

Blackpool: Grimshaw, Sterling, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Husband, Bowler, Stewart (Connolly 60), Dougall, Hamilton (Anderson 63), Madine, Yates (Lavery 75).

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Spence, Worrall, Figueiredo, McKenna, Colback, Yates, Garner, Zinckernagel (Lolley 74), Johnson (Grabban 66), Davis (Surridge 67).

Venue: Bloomfield Road

*Main image @NFFC celebrations for Nottingham Forest after a thumping display.