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.
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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.
Tale of two halves
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 enough.
Buoyed by the home crowd, Bournemouth began to increase the pressure. Still, it took a set-piece for them to find a way through.
There might be an argument for saying Cooper could have made changes before he did. Only after going behind in the 83rd minute were Alex Mighten, Joe Lolley and Richie Laryea introduced. By that point, the Cherries had something to cling on to. Not that it stopped Forest from keeping going, with Brice Samba even going up for a corner at the end. Still, there’s an element of ‘what if’ had fresh legs been brought on earlier.
Man in the middle
Cooper has had to bite his tongue when talking about refereeing decisions several times this term. And the officials were in the spotlight again on this occasion.
A fair few of the calls were questionable. But there was one which Cooper said Stuart Attwell and one of his assistants sought him out to apologise specifically for.
When the stakes are so high, you want the key decisions to be right - for both teams. Falling short of that has huge consequences.
But the Reds came away feeling “really annoyed” at not being given a penalty in the first half. The officials’ apologies will have counted for little.
Sam Surridge was in on goal when he was brought down by goalkeeper Mark Travers as he tried to round him. No penalty was given as the offside flag was raised. But replays showed Surridge was clearly onside.
That had a massive bearing on the outcome of the game. Being awarded a spot-kick, having the chance to go 1-0 up just before the interval, would have changed the complexion of the match entirely.
Forest still should have done better with the second 45 minutes. But for the officials to be such a major talking point after such a huge match is not how things should be.
Go again
The visitors will know they didn’t play to their potential on the south coast. Towards the end, they started to look drained.
And that leaves Cooper with a dilemma for Saturday’s clash at Hull City. Does he rest some of his key men for the play-offs or does he try to build momentum back up with his first-choice XI, knowing what’s ahead? Tough call.
Most importantly, the Reds will need to get this match out of their system. They were quick to try to leave the pitch once the Cherries’ celebrations had started.
They can use that feeling as fuel, though. They’ve shown how good they can be. Tuesday night wasn’t it, but they have another opportunity to put that right.
If they are to do that, they need to clear minds. Move on. Put it to bed. The journey isn’t over. Now is the time for calm and perspective.
Tuesday night was a ‘free hit’. Nobody had Forest down to be in that position. Losing is a blow, but it’s not a knockout punch.
Stark reminder
Any sense of importance around the game was quickly put into perspective after the full-time whistle. Defender Steve Cook posted a message on Twitter thanking paramedics at the ground for bringing his dad back to life after he had suffered a cardiac arrest before the match.
That the centre-back started his post by congratulating his former club on their achievement shows the measure of the man. Likewise, if he was aware what had happened to his father and still played, giving it his all.
Even if he wasn’t, Cook was a warrior at the back; several times having to be patched up for a clash of heads which had drawn blood. Regardless, some things are far, far more important than a game of football.
