Wood's rallying cry and Morato meets a fan living the dream Ka

STRIKER DETERMINED TO HELP FOREST GET BACK ON TRACK

- By SARAH CLAPSON

IT is getting very nervy for Nottingham Forest in their fight to secure Champions League football.

After their 1-0 loss to Everton, head coach Nuno Espirito Santo admitted a touch of anxiety may have crept in at such a crucial stage of the campaign.

A top-five finish is still in the Reds' own hands but they have been left with little margin for error after successive defeats.

Bouncing back away to Tottenham Hotspur next Monday (8pm) is a must.

As Forest reflect on Saturday's setback, here's a look at the latest goings-on at the City Ground.

Rallying cry

Saturday was a very un-Forest like performance. Prior to kick-off, the Reds had not lost at home since November and had conceded only 10 goals on their own turf.

Moreover, their counter-attacking brilliance had become a trademark and they had a striker in Chris Wood with 18 goals to his name. Individually and collectively, the Reds' performance was very out of sync with much of what had gone before.

For Wood, it is imperative that Forest remember the qualities that have served them so well and have put them in contention for a top-five finish. The front man accepts that a big improvement is required in the remaining games.

"We know we can do better and that is what we have to take into the next games," the New Zealander told Premier League Productions (via the BBC). "We have got the team to do that.

"We have to be ready to go again. What we have got to this season we have got to on our own merit. We have got to get back to what we do well."

He added: "It is bitterly disappointing to concede the way we did late on. It is frustrating but we have got to build and go again."

"Dream" season

Amid the disappointment and frustration of the weekend, it shouldn't be forgotten how much joy this season has sparked.