Steve Cooper left with dilemma as Nottingham Forest must use Bournemouth hurt as play-off fuel

There are many different roads to the top. Nottingham Forest’s challenge now is to ensure they have just taken a detour.

The prize is still there. They have a chance to take it. It’s all about how they respond. And if this team has shown anything this season, it’s that they are not short on fighting spirit.

The Reds weren’t even supposed to be in this position, giving Bournemouth a run for their money with two games to go. Even a few weeks ago, it would have been a stretch to bill the rearranged clash on the south coast as a straight-out shoot-out for second spot.

That’s how well this squad has done. How far they have come. Being disappointed not to get automatic promotion.

Tuesday night hurt. That much was evident on the players’ faces as they battled through a sea of Cherries fans who had flooded onto the pitch at the final whistle.

There was frustration, too. Steve Cooper made that very clear when discussing refereeing decisions which went against his side.

But Forest cannot let those emotions linger. To get this far is incredible, but the story - their dream - isn’t over yet.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment for the visitors will be that they did not give a true account of themselves in the second half. Those 45 minutes were not what this side is about.

It had taken them a little while to get going before the break. But once they did, Cooper’s men had created the better chances. They had forged some decent openings, including hitting the bar through Sam Surridge, and played some nice football.

The second half, though, was a completely different story. They just didn’t get going.

Too many times, the ball was lumped forward. The Reds are at their most lethal when they play on the deck, and they didn’t do that