We cannot make mistakes like that

Last updated : 23 April 2003 By Tony Scholes

A Burnley win coupled with a win for Ipswich would have seen Forest out of the top six for the first time since their tenth game of the season back in September and manager Paul Hart was fully aware of that although he was putting the Ipswich game to the back of his mind.

Hart said: "We have tried to focus on what we need to do and not look over our shoulder at what other teams are doing and think 'if they lose, we'll be OK'. We have definitely tried to take it into our own hands.

"In my opinion, we need to win (against Millwall) for our own good and if we can win the last one (against Rotherham) even better. We will be going right to the death to try to win every game.

"It's a fact Ipswich can only get 73 points and our goal difference is vastly superior to everyone's apart from Wolves."


Talking about the game itself Hart said it had been a "big win" against a Burnley team who played well.

"They made us work for it and made us sweat," he added. "At this time, you look for players that are honest and go about their jobs in the right manner. We had to be patient and work hard to get that result so I'm delighted.

"I was right behind Michael Dawson's shot. The ball dipped a little bit and it wobbled a bit in the air. It was a hell of a strike, he doesn't half hammer them. There was a lot of pace on it.

"I was pleased for David Johnson that he got the goal because it has been a tough couple of months for him. We all want him to finish top of those goalscoring charts.

"We now have a few days rest for the first time in 16 days and we have to try to manage it well."

Having seen his side go down again Stan was looking for, and found the positives from the performance although did reflect on more injuries that reduce his squad to the bare bones.

"Losing Driss Diallo was a massive blow given the other injuries we have got, but to be fair they are all genuine. It is difficult for us in a number of ways. Driss went off with the hamstring injury he had before but he was playing two games in 48 hours. Maybe that was the cause of the injury and in an ideal world, with any other available men, I might not have played him. But no one else is close to coming back.

"Dimi had the problem with the hip that he got at Portsmouth and at the moment everything has gone a bit pear shaped.

"I thought the kids did smashing though. The young lads have not surprised me and because we are sitting on 55 points it is a good opportunity for us to look at them. We will have to look at them again because we have not got anyone else available.

"I thought we played alright and we had two or three good chances in the first half, we were comfortable. Forest were feeling it a little and needed a goal and didn’t look like getting one. Then young Dawson has hit a shot and you cannot legislate for mistakes like that.

""We went three at the back to chase the game and they got another but all in all we did OK and I have no complaints. But we cannot make mistakes like that."