Nottingham Forest – 0
Crewe Alexandra – 0
Perhaps all too predictably, Forest ended their season-proper with a dull thud, rather than a bang. A point against Crewe whilst Bristol City and Blackpool United won gives us a fourth place finish – certainly an improvement on last season’s seventh – but nonetheless, a disappointing one considering how much of the season we have spent in the automatic promotion spots.
But still, congratulations to Bristol City who celebrate automatic promotion, and deservedly so – they had a wobble over Easter but recovered, and we were never able to take advantage of it. Also of course congratulations should go to Dario Gradi who ended his seemingly timeless career as a first team coach yesterday – it’s a shame he didn’t feel the need to spend a bit more time applauding the Crewe fans at the end, I would have liked to join in the applause for him.
So anyway, the game – I’m not going to write much, because frankly it was mostly rubbish! Smith had the first save of the game to make – from Maynard. Soon after this news started to filter through that Rotherham were already behind to Bristol City. We did have chances, but it was clear it was in vain – that said, once again some complete bastard made half the Upper Bridgford believe that Rotherham had equalised. Whoever you are, you’re a fool! Fortunately I was sat near a chap with a radio who I asked to confirm it, after the Carlisle nonsense a couple of weeks back.
I remember Prutton getting the ball from a corner with so much time and space it was hard to believe – and he skied it. I sometimes use the official match report to jog my memory (particularly today, my alcohol-addled memory), it describes the shot as going ‘just over the crossbar’ – I’d had a few pints by this point, but it was quite considerably over the crossbar, thankyousoverymuch!
Ultimately, all I can really remember about the game was Alan Wright impressing me for his use of the ball, Paul Smith made two or three decent saves to save us the embarrassment of losing, Jones had Commons in his pocket until he was substituted, and then presumably Kris was frustrated as he didn’t really do much then either. Dobie came on and hit the post. Holt (Gary) came on, and passed forwards, to a Forest player (nobody else would have seen that!), and Bastians came on and looked eager. Oh aye, we had a couple cleared off the line as well.
The inevitable attempted pitch-invasion happened by a few older chaps and some random chavs. I like pitch invasions, I’ve participated in a fair few – although not for a while – but really only see the point when there’s something to celebrate. I particularly enjoyed one loon dancing around infront of the A Block before turning around to see the slavering jaws of a snarling Alsation, at which point he raised his hands in ‘surrender’ and was duly arrested. Silly people. If we’d gone up automatically, fair do’s – but really with so much still to be done, there’s nowt to celebrate just yet.
The same logic fits for the lap of honour we were subjected to – this season isn’t a success until we’re promoted, and there’s a considerable chance we won’t be. I did remain to massage the fragile ego’s of our players, and consoled myself that this was their opportunity to applaud the support they’ve had over what has been a disappointing season, as much as our chance to applaud them. I hope to see a lap of honour at Wembley on 27th – and for all the right reasons!
And so, we finish fourth and face Yeovil Town in the playoffs over two legs. Huish Park on Friday, and then back to the City Ground a week later. Not at easy prospect – but of the three opponents available in the playoffs, they would be the ones I would pick. We have beaten them twice, the first time at their place was fortunate to be sure, the game at our place was well deserved.
Whilst Oldham have had poor form, the 7-0 aggregate scoreline they already enjoy against us made me want to avoid them. I don’t for a minute think, as some seem to, that we drew on purpose to affect who we play next, I think we were just a bit rubbish yesterday. If I had to stick my neck out and make a prediction, I think we will limp past Yeovil, not easily, and reach Wembley where we will meet Blackpool.
That’s where my prediction ends!
Filed under: Matches
Don’t worry, there’s nothing to fear in Blackpool. Just because they finish the season with a 6 straight wins and a 6 -3 win away at Swansea it doesn’t necessarily mean they are better than us. If we’d have been playing Swansea then we’d have put 7 past them. Probably.
Let’s not beat about the bush here. As soon as we knew (and the Manager knew) that we were play off bound, the team did enough to ensure that we finished 4th in order to play Yeovil. Luke Chambers suggested as much in his post match interview.
That’s not to say we will beat Yeovil – but they are clearly the team we would have chosen to play at this stage.
Whilst on the subject of the pitch invasion, perhaps it is worth highlighting some ludicrous behaviour from the gorillas in yellow tops who nearly encited a riot in the Lower Trent End by deciding that we would much rather watch them than the football for the last five minutes of the game. Whoever had instructed them to stand in front of the supporters whilst the game was going on should be sacked. End of story.
Well the playoffs we are heading……but I still think if we had spent more on players and a few more loans we would have been back in the Championship….we now face the lottery that never rewards the better from the season just the best on the day….but I will be there convinced we will win just like yesterday when i was sure we would win and Bristol would not…..maybe this view of life makes me an ideal individual to be a forest fan.!
Well done Bristol and Scunthorpe…see you in the championship next year.
7 points clear…
Well This is how it ends may i ask did you take that picture?
I didn’t!
oh well, too much to ask for i suppose. But what bothers me is that Gary Johnson told his players (i expect) ‘go out and win and we’re up’. And Blackpool the same, ‘all you can do is win and see what happens with forest and city’. So they both go out and win. Our lot cant even score past crewe!!! Doesnt bode well for blackpool at wembley if we’re lucky enough to make it there.
Also, i agree with barrow red, the stewarding at forest is a fucking joke and has been all season. I had to lift my 2 kids up on the wall so they could see the last 5 minutes of the game on saturday. Was there really any need for that level of policing??
Anyway, rant over, see you all at wembley!