Forest striker Earnshaw delighted to finish with a goal

ROBERT Earnshaw was delighted to bag his 17th goal of the campaign with the last kick of the season.

The Reds striker ended his first year as a Forest player by netting in stoppage time.

It ensured a 3-1 victory against Southampton and meant 17 goals in 30 starts for Earnshaw since his £2.65m move from Derby last summer.

"It was a brilliant way to end the season," he said. "I will take that because I was going through the game just wanting a goal.

"I had a couple of chances and with five minutes to go I thought it was not going to be.

"I was asking the referee 'how long, how long' so it was nice to finish with the last goal with the last kick of the season.

"Five or six months ago we would have taken this position, going into the last game safe.

"We are happy, it was a good day to thank the fans and nice to do that with a win.

"The first half was not the best. We were slow starting off and being pulled all over the place.

"But in he second half we were a different team, got better and had a good shape."

Forest head into the summer break having finished the season unbeaten in six games.

And the Welshman is excited about the future, adding: "We will have to see what happens in the summer and what the manager does.

"We started weeks ago preparing for next season because all the players know what the manager wants and we will get more of a taste for it in pre-season. I am looking forward to it."