The only way is down if Forest can't find their killer touch

I am getting so fed up of writing about Forest not making the most of their chances and ending up losing points. It's happened on numerous occasions this season, and we should have done enough to win the game at Barnsley, but instead walked away empty-handed.

Billy Davies missed the game because he was suffering from a virus so assistant Ned Kelly took charge in the dugout. I don't know how much influence Davies had on the team's selection, but it was a strange one, and not exactly set up with a win in mind. After scoring a hat-trick in the reserves, maybe the inclusion of Dele Adebola in the starting line-up was justified, but why put Lewis McGugan on the wing? That made no sense at all.

Forest found themselves chasing the game after only four minutes when Nathan Doyle put Barnsley ahead from a few yards out. But Forest had plenty of chances in the first half to equalise, but the final ball was once again found wanting. The Reds' hopes of getting back in the game were dealt a hammer blow when Barnsley were awarded a penalty just before the hour mark, and former Forest player Andy Gray scored from the spot. But little over ten minutes later, another excellent goal from McGugan reduced the deficit to just one goal again and with Forest playing well Barnsley had every right to be nervous.

Unfortunately for Forest, though, thoughts of a late comeback were banished when substitute Jay Butterfield made it 3-1 with only three minutes remaining. The decision to change to a 4-3-3 formation which saw Wes Morgan bizarrely pushed forward was to prove a costly one. Had Forest stayed as they were, they might well have snatched a late point. As it was they were left to rue a sackful of missed chances and ponder on their first defeat in ten games. Now they have two home games coming up against Middlesbrough and Ipswich. We've got to be looking at a minimum of four points from those. If our home form starts to deteriorate as well, I really fear we will get sucked into a relegation scrap.