Complacency could end up costing Forest

Leon Jackson's shock triumph over red-hot favourite Rhydian in this year's X Factor final just goes to show that you can not take anything for granted in life.
And maybe that's a message that needs to be drummed into the Forest players' heads for so-called 'easy' games in future, as we were extremely fortunate to escape what would have been a very humiliating defeat against an extremely poor Northampton side yesterday.

Colin Calderwood made it clear before the game that anything less than six points from the two home matches with Northampton and Port Vale would represent a disappointment. Well, now all we can get is four, and if we don't beat Vale next Saturday, we will have thrown away a glorious chance to gain some serious momentum in the race for promotion.

It all looked like it was going to be plain sailing when Lewis McGugan gave us the lead with a fantastic long-range effort, and we dominated the first half so much that the result seemed something of a foregone conclusion. So what on earth went wrong in the second half? Northampton, who had looked every bit relegation fodder before the break, were suddenly running us ragged and frightening the Forest defence to death. Matt Lockwood sloppily conceded possession, and Northampton grabbed an equaliser, which really put the spring in their step, and all of the sudden they were the better side. Within six minutes, they were in front, and we were playing so poorly that I just could not see a way back for us.

Thank god then for Junior Agogo's 90th minute equaliser from a corner. If there was ever a way to be happy at earning only a point against Northampton, then this was the way to do it, but if you told me we'd only manage to draw against them on our own pitch before kick-off, I would have felt gutted. But the way the game went, I just felt relieved in the end. If we'd lost, I would have felt extremely depressed and sick, which is not what I want to feel at Christmas time.

If we do beat Vale, and I say if, then four points out of six won't be too bad, I guess, particularly if we are second on Saturday. There's still half of the season to go yet, and there will be many more ups and downs before May. Every team has a wobble now and again, so let's hope that this was just that, and that we will be back in a winning habit before too long. Last season our poor form over Christmas and New Year was what saw us surrender a seemingly unassailable seven-point lead at the top of League One. Who can forget that horrendous 5-0 thrashing at Oldham on New Year's Day. I wish I could! If we can avoid losing against them on Boxing Day this year, I think I will regard it as a job well done, considering they have been a bit of a thorn in our side in recent seasons.

I think League One is a lot stronger than it was last year. There are a handful of teams who are consistent. Swansea, Carlisle and Leeds, in my opinion, are a better bet for the title than us. At the moment, I don't think we're good enough to get automatic promotion. Apart from Leeds, I would say that Swansea are the biggest threat. That point we earnt against them back in August could turn out to be very significant at the end of the season.