DEFENDER Joel Lynch hopes he can establish himself as a first team regular under Billy Davies – and help Nottingham Forest to a run of results that will steer them clear of trouble.

The on-loan Brighton man was delighted to be part of the side that secured a 1-0 win at Reading.

He says it is vital Forest try to build on the result. But his main aim is to try to hold onto his place in the side, after being restored at left back following a period on the sidelines through injury.

"It is good for me, to get back in the side and play again," he said. "As a back four you just want to keep a clean sheet, which we obviously managed.

"It was my first 90 minutes in front of the manager, so it was good for me to keep a clean sheet. But it was not just down to me, it was down to all the players. Everyone did a terrific job.

"Hopefully now I can stay in the side and try to look at things from there." But Lynch says Forest cannot rest on their laurels.

"We needed the points and we knew that. But the lads worked hard to get them and by the end, it was just a great result," he said.

"Now we have to move on from here, we have to get ourselves on a run of games.

"We did that just after Christmas and we need to do it again. We have quite a few games coming up quickly now, so it is the ideal time to do it.

"We will be trying really hard to get another three points against Preston and again on Saturday, against Swansea."