IN THE NIC OF TIME OF TIME
Jacko late show seals points for Poch’s battling Blues
IN such a crazy season maybe it was fitting a touch of madness enveloped the City Ground, leaving Forest within touching distance of Premier League survival.
A late Chelsea winner from Nicolas Jackson put paid to a night of wild celebration in Nottingham.
But Forest are all but secure for another Premier League campaign.
Boss Nuno Espirito Santo went from elation to despair in minutes after first seeing Callum Hudson-Odoi seemingly ensure total safety for Forest with a superb 74th-minute goal to put his side 2-1 up.
Chelsea substitute Raheem Sterling made it 2-2 in the 80th minute before Senegal striker Jackson headed home a Reece James cross to burst the Forest balloon.
It put the brakes on the Forest party – and handed Chelsea the points to keep alive their Europa League hopes.
Barring a mathematical disaster of a 12-goal swing on the final day, Forest – who play at relegated Burnley – will fight on in the top flight.
At the start of the day, Forest fans would willingly have accepted a 99.99 per cent chance of safety.
And that’s what they’ve got after West Ham defeated Luton earlier in the day to leave the Hatters on the brink of relegation.
Cheers rang around the City Ground well before kick-off as news filtered through that Luton were losing.
George Earthy may not be a well-known name outside Hammers circles. But the academy graduate dealt a lethal blow to Luton – and sent worried Forest fans into orbit before kickoff.
In the Forest dressing room the vibe must have gone from nervy to chilled in an instant.
Luton’s defeat meant the pressure was certainly watered down, if not completely off. It’s been a soap opera season for both clubs, yet the Blues arrived in Nottingham on the back of encouraging derby wins against West Ham and Spurs – results which have quietened the noise around Mauricio Pochettino and his players.
They could easily have been a goal down inside two minutes, though, with striker Chris Wood denied by Djordje Petrovic as he tried to lob the Chelsea keeper on a rapid break.
But it was Pochettino’s men who struck first – with Palmer once again the architect of Chelsea joy with a fabulous pass for Mykhailo Mudryk to execute a classy finish past Matz Sels.
However, Forest have plenty of guts so it was little surprise they levelled not long after with a simple set-piece goal for Willy Boly.
Morgan Gibbs-White delivered a pinpoint cross for Boly to squeeze home a header off the post.
Chelsea’s defending was abysmal and not even a VAR check could save them as a shout for offside went in Forest’s favour.
Neither side had control of the game but Palmer’s passing range and vision was always a danger to Forest who in turn looked lively on the counter-attack.
One such break led to appeals for a red card as Conor Gallagher pulled down former team-mate Callum Hudson-Odoi in a footrace to Petrovic’s goal but referee Tony Harrington only brandished yellow.
Forest showed huge heart and character in the second half, hitting the post through GibbsWhite, while Wood missed a sitter as it rebounded.
Thiago Silva hit the post with a header before Hudson-Odoi started the late goal flurry on a day of gripping survival drama.