Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Blackpool and Nottingham Forest at Bloomfield Road as two goals from Brennan Johnson and one each from Philip Zinckernagel and Sam Surridge kept Steve Cooper's men firmly in the promotion hunt
Saturday 2 April 2022 17:36, UK
Nottingham Forest kept themselves in the hunt for a top-six finish with an emphatic 4-1 win over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.
Philip Zinckernagel got the Reds - who had won three of their last four games in all competitions - up and running with a deflected opener, before two clinical finishes from Brennan Johnson put them in total control at the break.
Sam Surridge came off the bench to crash in a fourth inside the final 10 minutes, but Callum Connolly pulled a consolation back to ensure Steve Cooper's men did not leave with a clean sheet.
Forest move up to seventh in the Sky Bet Championship table, a point behind sixth-placed Blackburn with nine games to play, with Blackpool dropping to 14th and 10 points off the top six.
From the outset, there was a promising tempo to proceedings and, with the first real opening, Forest nudged in front when Johnson shirked two defenders, exchanged passes with Ryan Yates and squared for the Dane, whose shot took a wicked deflection off Kevin Stewart and looped over the helpless Dan Grimshaw.
An unchallenged square ball and a tame header from Gary Madine was the sum of Blackpool's response, before Johnson doubled the lead when he collected a lay-off from Zinckernagel, after smart work from Djed Spence, and clinically finished first time.
With less than 40 minutes gone, it was 3-0. Grimshaw inadvertently played the ball straight to Johnson, who glided past Jordan Thorniley and lifted a brilliant controlled finish into the back of the net.
Blackpool were denied a penalty when Jerry Yates was manhandled by Scott McKenna in the box, and then refreshed their attack - bringing on Keshi Anderson and Shayne Lavery - in an attempt to limit the damage their opponents could inflict.
But it was game over with 82 minutes on the clock, when an inch-perfect ball from McKenna found Surridge, who took a touch and slammed in a fourth for the visitors.
There was time for a late consolation, though, with Callum Connolly showing superb composure to fire past Brice Samba and into the bottom right corner of the net.
Blackpool's Neil Critchley: "I've not seen the stats yet, but I reckon there'll be not a lot in that game. We weren't second best - only in moments. [Forest] have got quality players at the top of the pitch, but we didn't have the quality or composure they had.
"It was a strange game; every time they got into our penalty area, they scored - we just didn't defend those moments well enough, and they had a bit of luck."
Nottingham Forest's Steve Cooper: "I didn't say anything to Brennan but I think when he's come back from international duty in recent times, he's took a little bit to get going.
"I felt it was interesting to see how he did, and he was excellent - his whole approach to playing for the team and the contribution that he makes."
Don Goodman on Sky Sports Football:
"It was all to do with that dynamic first-half performance. He scored with a couple of outstanding finishes and was brilliant with or without the ball. He has been sensational all season and could be pivotal to what happens at the end of it."
Blackpool are back in action at 7.45pm on Tuesday April 5, when they travel to Deepdale to face local rivals Preston, live on Sky Sports Football. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest return at 7.45pm on Wednesday April 6, when they host Coventry at the City Ground.
