Brennan Johnson scored twice as Nottingham Forest continued their play-off charge with a stunning 4-1 win against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

A double from Johnson – the second of which came after a dreadful goalkeeping error from Dan Grimshaw – a Philip Zinckernagel effort and a Sam Surridge strike handed the visitors the points.

Blackpool threw everything forward in the second half but could only reply through Callum Connelly’s last-minute goal.

Forest have now suffered just one defeat in 12 and strengthens their push up the ladder.

The hosts made one change from the goalless draw with Sheffield United – Jerry Yates coming in for Connelly – as Neil Critchley switched to a 4-4-2.

His opposite number Steve Cooper brought keeper Brice Samba into his side, while Scott McKenna also returned from injury to start.

It was Forest who started the better of the two sides and they were rewarded after 11 minutes, Zinckernagel’s heavily-deflected strike looping over the keeper to give them the advantage.

James Husband shot over from 25 yards, before keeper Grimshaw almost handed the visitors a second through a botched clearance.

Gary Madine headed straight at Samba before the 20-minute mark, as Blackpool tried to find a way back into the game.

But the away side always looked dangerous, and Johnson drilled the ball into the far corner from 12 yards on 31 minutes to give them a 2-0 lead.

Samba denied Kenny Dougall soon after as the home side were restricted to long-range efforts.

In the 36th minute it was three as Grimshaw passed the ball straight to Johnson, who beat a defender before lifting a wonderful finish into the far corner.

In doing so, he became Forest’s top scorer this season with 14 goals and gave the Tangerines a mountain to climb in the second half.

Blackpool raced forward early on, with CJ Hamilton failing to convert a cross at the back post after a penalty appeal from Yates was waved away.

Zinckernagel was denied one-on-one with Grimshaw on the hour mark as Forest threatened to grab a fourth.

Keshi Anderson could have made the last 10 minutes interesting but directed a close-range header wide of the post.

And Forest put the seal on the three points when substitute Surridge finished ruthlessly into the bottom corner on 81 minutes.

The home side finally had something to cheer when Connelly scrambled the ball home with a minute to go.

This was the first time the Tangerines had conceded four this season and brought their four-game unbeaten run to an end, while Forest are unbeaten in the league since January 30.