Nottingham Forest 2 - 0 Crewe Alexandra

As my friends and I put the world to rights over a beer or two at lunchtime today, dissecting England's catastrophic cock-up over the Euro 2008, it became fairly apparent that watching England on Wednesday night was a little like watching Forest on a bad day, and as our shower of POP's (choose whatever words you like from that - mine are Pampered, Over-paid Prima-donnas) contemplate next summer where they'll be anywhere except Austria, the fans unleash a barrage of 'I told you so's' at the inept mandarins of the FA over issues from club v country priorities to the introduction of foreign player quota's.

Yes, watching England hoof the ball in desperation at an isolated lone striker was something we can certainly relate to from occasions past and writing up a match report afterwards was indeed a painful exercise. Then there are other occasions where the similarities end, but how often in recent years would Forest have been able to teach the England squad a thing or two?

The elite can laugh all they like at that last remark if they want. They'd soon be silenced if they were to watch a video of today's game on Trentside, for too long a forgotten backwater of English football - at least in the eyes of so-called football purists. On today's performance we'd have beaten Wednesday's England team easily.

Because today we were treated to something so many of us have not seen on Trentside in a long, long time and that was a truly outstanding game of football. Pure football. [And no, it did not even involve an entire Premiership team made up of overseas players (how can you continue to call Arsey Whinger's Arsenal an English team?) playing against another side which might feature a token English player if you're lucky] A Forest side that hopefully benefited from no game last week against a Crewe side considered very much the form team. Our record against Crewe arguably the least consistent: we beat them perhaps marginally more than they beat us, one or two frustrating stalemates - you only have to go back as far as the final league game of last season to understand why - and you know you are up against a stubborn outfit. Hardly surprising given the relative stability they've enjoyed in the backroom under Dario Gradi who has long promoted an attractive passing game which has evidently reaped huge rewards just lately, and four straight wins is not to be sniffed at.

With the Sammy Davies Junior trio only just back from international duty, there were one or two selection dilemmas for Calderwood, who not surprisingly put Tyson up front pretty much on his own with Commons playing his dual striker/midfielder role according to the pattern of play. The rest of the team was similar to recent games with starting places for both Davies and Sammy and an unusually strong bench featuring Big Wes, Holt, Agogo and a welcome return for Neil Lennon.

It became apparent early on that CC had done his homework as both sides looked lively right from the off, and although Crewe were passing the ball about crisply and neatly we were doing the same to an extent I've not seen for ages. There was pace, there was movement and above all there was passing to feet in abundance - hurrah!! And Smudge? Even he was wasting no time hurling the ball back up field - none of those pregnant pauses to try the patience of a saint. And how it was paying off as we proceeded to create chance after chance, albeit being denied by the woodwork time and time again, enough probably for the club to invest in new goalposts given the hammering they took today: first Tyson, then McGugan and a little later Davies' shot was deflected onto the crossbar by Crewe 'keeper Ben Williams. And just so no-one could accuse our goal attempts of being too samey, Cohen saw a chance from 40 yards out with Williams off his line - somewhat reminiscent of Jim Brennan having a go during that epic friendly against Newcastle five years ago - the ball going only just wide.

To add to the fun there were several attacks made by the visitors, themselves putting together some good moves helped by some crisp passing, although our back line were magnificent today, with Brecks marshalling his back line with precision timing to give the linesman a busy afternoon with his offside flag - something we've been all too used to being on the receiving end of ourselves in the past. But particularly frustrating for Crewe today who twice managed to get the ball in the net, albeit so obviously offside it hardly mattered.

One of the most noteworthy features at the back today was Bennett's constant scooping the ball away from potential danger and driving forward with the ball at feet. The object of much praise in today's programme and little wonder given the last couple of months, how many of us had expected him at the start of the season to languish in the reserves having apparently made way for the new arrivals? Talk about making the most of his chances, and probably our most outstanding example of what competition for places is all about. Matt Lockwood is going to really struggle to get his place back.

And it was Jules who started the move which finally broke the deadlock right on the stroke of half time. A pass to Commons who nipped in with an exquisite scissors-style move for Davies who unleashed a powerful shot from over 20 yards which beat Williams to land in the far corner. On seeing the goal on TV it was all the more spectacular since the shot had sliced through Crewe's defence like a knife through butter and arguably the least clear-cut chance we'd had. A brilliant goal, and just at the right time to stop us stirring uneasily having hitherto seen no reward for our efforts, and a great way for Davies to open his goal account for us.

Seven minutes after the break it got even better. Tyson had been clumsily brought down by Danny Woodards 20 yards directly in front of goal, an offence which earned him the only yellow card of the day (incidentally, another good display by the man in black today, doing his best to keep the football flowing and so add to the quality of this game). Step forward Sammy whose free kick sailed round the right hand side of the wall, landing in the far corner. The long-awaited first Clingan goal had finally happened and the roof nearly came off as he disappeared underneath a pile of red shirts right in front of a delighted Trent End, and absolutely nothing less than Sammy deserved.

By this time Forest were well in control, and looking dangerous every single time they went forward. It was so good to watch that the sound of the fans' moans were of sheer delight as they marvelled at every string of short passes by red shirts. As the fans responded with bursts of applause it reminded me a little of the opening day of the 2001-02 season when, under Paul Hart, we had the likes of JJ, Prutts and The Bartman (remember him?) leading The Blades a merry dance for much of the afternoon. It wasn't just that good, today was miles better.

How we managed not to score again is a bit of a mystery considering how close we came, and I lost count the number of times that happened. The crossbar came in for another hammering, first from McGugan (so unlucky not to find the back of the net today, but you couldn't fault him for effort), then from Chambers whose effort was followed up by a shot from Tyson which took a clearance off the line to deny him and send the excited home fans into gasps of disbelief yet again. It could have been most frustrating had we not been winning at this stage, especially given the number saves Williams was forced to make, but It was still truly riveting stuff.

There was time for Davies to leave the field with fifteen to go, and to a deserved standing ovation (and with him now getting into his stride he already looks a class act at this level), as a returning Grant Holt replaced him, and ten minutes later Big Wes came on for McGugan and almost immediately burst forward with the ball in a most un-Wes-like fashion to which the fans roared their delight.

So, two goals to the good it finished. Could have been six or seven, but what the heck? What a game. WHAT A GAME!! We're now in second place, and but for an early goal by the future residents of the 2012 Olympic Stadium we'd have gone top tonight. Whilst I suspect Calderwood was quietly delighted with his team's performance today, there was understandably some logic in his urging caution afterwards, preferring to focus on what lies ahead as opposed to three points gained today. And as well he might, for as Christmas looms (which will not take me to remind anyone that it is not a period in which Forest have excelled in recent years) the real test is about to start. However unlike recent festive seasons where calling on the walking wounded has been the order of the day, we have the relative luxury of an almost entire squad at our disposal, not only increasing our options but also keeping the competition for places very much alive.

Cautionary messages aside, continue playing the way we did today this might well prove (at long last) to be a happy Christmas for Forest fans. Let the England mandarins, the FA and the Premiership stick that in their pipes and smoke it!

Ref Watch: M Oliver - Will not have been too popular with the visitors for disallowing two attempts so obviously offside - did a good job today.

Entertainment Value: I thought we'd struggle to see a better game than the Southend match a fortnight ago. I was wrong. 9.5/10

Atmosphere: Quiet at first, but nothing two goals (and the rest) couldn't fix.

Highlights: Where do you start? Simpler to say the whole ninety was one fantastic show.

Lowlights: Not today.

Stinker: Not a chance.

Stormer: The whole team deserves praise today, though I suppose you've got to hand it to Sammy for breaking that duck at long, long last.