Forest thrash Brighton 7-0 helped by Wood hat-trick

NOTTINGHAM, England :Nottingham Forest thumped Brighton & Hove Albion 7-0 helped by a hat trick from striker Chris Wood in their Premier League clash at the City Ground on Saturday in an emphatic bounce back from last week's humbling 5-0 loss at Bournemouth.

Forest move to 47 points after 24 games to consolidate third spot as they chase Champions League qualification, while Brighton are ninth on 34. Forest are now level with second-placed Arsenal, who host Manchester City in fourth on Sunday.

Nuno Espirito Santo's Forest side romped to their biggest margin of victory since a 7-0 rout of Chelsea in 1991.

"What a difference a week can make," Wood told TNT Sports. "Down in the dumps after last week. It wasn't us, it wasn't like us, but today that was definitely us.

"It's fantastic, the boys have done superbly showing character to come back from last week. That is what we're about."

An own goal from Lewis Dunk in the 12th minute kicked off the scoring as Brighton's skipper lunged to clear Morgan Gibbs-White's low cross and poked the ball into the net.

Gibbs-White doubled Forest's lead in the 25th minute with a glancing header from Anthony Elanga's corner.

Wood, who has scored 17 league goals this season including seven in his last six games, netted his first of the day seven minutes later when, left completely unmarked, he headed Elanga's cross past Bart Verbruggen.

Brighton's best effort was Danny Welbeck's rocket from 15 metres that hit the underside of the bar just before halftime.

Forest continued to run riot after the break and the 33-year-old Wood tapped home Elanga's cross in the 64th.

The New Zealand international completed his hat trick five minutes later with a penalty, which was awarded after Tariq Lamptey bundled