Nottingham Forest 2-0 Rotherham Utd

Dexter Blackstock (left) celebrates with fellow goalscorer Michail Antonio

Nottingham Forest closed to within eight points of the Championship play-off places with victory over Rotherham at the City Ground.

Dexter Blackstock's lob opened the scoring two minutes before the interval to set Dougie Freedman's side on their way to a fifth straight home win.

Michail Antonio's wonderful run and 25-yard shot made it 2-0 moments later.

Rotherham stay six points clear of the relegation places with eight games to play.

The Millers matched their hosts for large periods and could have made a game of it had midfielder Lee Frecklington's effort early in the second half gone in, instead of hitting the post.

Striker Conor Sammon was also denied by Forest keeper Karl Darlow's fine save, but the game was ultimately settled in two first-half minutes.

First Blackstock met a long ball over the top and lobbed goalkeeper Adam Collin, before Antonio ran from his own half past some unconvincing challenges and drilled a low shot into the corner.

Forest face promotion rivals Norwich, Wolves and Brentford in their next three games and could yet make the play-offs.

Nottingham Forest boss Dougie Freedman:

"We have got to go and play Wolves and Brentford and Watford so we have given ourselves a great chance.

"We can take some points off the teams above us, we just have to make sure we are very professional and responsible in the way we approach it.

"We had a plan, that was to dampen them down in the first 10 minutes. We went on to play some fantastic football in the second half. I am happy. It was a real team performance."

Rotherham manager Steve Evans:

"It's a cruel game, we were the better side in the first half for long spells.

"Goalkeeper Adam Collin makes his mistake, he shouldn't have come. Then we lost our shape from the restart.

"We turned at 2-0 down and people were shaking their heads in the dressing room. We had a reaction in the second half against a team who have been rampant in recent weeks.

"Their keeper makes a world-class save and they are the fine margins, we have an error in the first half."