Forest never do things the easy way, do they? We should have been raising a glass to safety this evening, but instead we’ll be supping up with one cautious eye on the league table.
It’s been a remarkable turnaround, and for a few weeks almost everything has gone our way. But there remains a chance of a final day disaster, at least until Monday evening.
We played fairly badly this afternoon; trapped somewhere between complacency and incompetence. But we did enough.
Blackpool were determined to throw down the anchor on 2008/09 and they didn’t let us have our own way. Davies set out for a sensible point.
Forest took the lead on the back of a polished move and another excellent Lynch cross. The subsequent 15 minutes saw a run of opportunities to double the lead.
The home side were nothing special, but they were scrappy enough and ugly enough to keep the game on a leash.
They had enough about them to cash in on a leaky back five system which lacked anything of the discipline shown at Sheffield United. The equaliser came after Chambers dived in on the half-way line and his colleagues failed to recover.
Garner’s automated toppling strategy gave us 20 minutes of hope, but Blackpool were in no mood to take their own battle to the final day and they were boisterous in every tackle.
Chris Cohen’s free kick was tipped over (perhaps his first ever passable set piece), Earnshaw came close with a net-whistling strike that had some Forest fans celebrating, and James Perch missed the target with a free header.
In stoppage time McGugan had a customary scolding from Earnshaw after drilling a poor shot into the keeper’s arms instead of passing.
But Forest fans filed out in fairly high spirits, dwelling on the usual doomsday scenarios and mathematical strategies that dominate conversation at this time of year.
A few over-excited simpletons playing up for the ITV cameras were a little more sure of our fortunes than I am, but we’re very nearly there.
As we suspected, a win against relegated Southampton – who will have no incentive beyond pride – will keep us up, and probably reshape the entire future of the football club.
I celebrated the Burnley and Wolves equalisers as though they were our own, and I’ll reserve equal passion for a Reading victory on Monday. I just hope we’re not being buttered up before an almighty fall.
The Blackpool fans were happier this afternoon, but the joke’s on them. Their back garden continues to be a cesspit of vomiting Glaswegians and fat orange slappers in costume.
For the record, if the game had kicked off at 3pm I wouldn’t have made it today. The M6 Northbound was stationary for 15 miles on the way back home. The chaos has swallowed up several thousand Manchester United fans on their way to Old Trafford. And as of 5pm a Villa fan I know was stuck at J16 (Stoke) where he’d been since 1 o’clock. The Villa team coach passed him on its way back to Brum...
Ratings
Smith – 6 – excellent save from a late free-kick, but the same old story.
Gunter – 6 – not as comfortable in the advanced role.
Chambers – 6 – not a horror show by any means, but one or two shaky moments spoiled the performance.
Morgan – 6.5 – not as solid with the weight of the entire team on his shoulders.
Breckin – 6 – not mobile enough, but just about coped.
Lynch – 7 – incisive ball for Blackstock’s goal. A reasonable defensive performance.
Osbourne – 7- another solid performance.
Perch – 7 – good tackling back, but couldn’t bridge the gap between defence and attack.
Cohen – 6 – a poor game by his own high standards, compounded by typically poor set pieces (one free kick aside). He’s overdue that summer holiday.
Garner – 7 – scrappy, and his gumption saw them reduced to ten men. Would he have scored if he’d stayed on his feet? I don’t think so.
Blackstock – 7 – a handful all afternoon, and a vital goal.
Subs
McCleary – 7 – not suited to the ploughed playing surface, but he caused problems.
Earnshaw – 6 – only one real chance.
McGugan – 6 – too late for an impact.
