Steve Cooper’s game-plan paid off as Nottingham Forest thumped Swansea City 5-1 to keep up the pressure on second-placed Bournemouth.
But the Reds boss admitted he would like to have seen his side score more amid an electric atmosphere at the City Ground. They certainly had the chances to.
Sam Surridge netted a superb second-half hat-trick to see off the Swans, after Michael Obafemi had cancelled out a Cyrus Christie own goal. And substitute Alex Mighten rounded off the win to cap an important three points for the hosts.
Read more: How the Reds rated against Swansea
Read more: Riverside views and St Andrew's sadness mark out best and worst Forest away days
Automatic promotion remains a distinct possibility for Forest. They go into Tuesday night’s rearranged clash with the Cherries on the south coast just three points behind their opponents - and currently with a marginally better goal difference.
“It was a brilliant win. I’m very grateful to the players for how they stuck to the game-plan,” said Cooper.
“It was a bit of a different one. We were very happy for Swansea to have the ball as much as they did, because that’s what they do. But they also give up a lot of chances and concede a lot of goals. So there was a clear game-plan for us.
“It finished 5-1, but it should have been 5-1 at half-time with the chances we created. I don’t say that disrespectfully, everyone saw it. It was chance, after chance, after chance.
“Brilliant that it’s 5-1, and brilliant that Sam’s got a hat-trick. But the mentality I want is that it could have been double for him.
“We controlled the game without the ball, that was the plan. It’s a good plan to control it without it and score five. The guys stuck to it brilliantly.
“We want to be an attacking team. You’ve seen how many goals we’ve scored this year.
“I challenged the boys at half-time to be a better footballing team, because it was clear the chances were there to be created. And we did.”
