Nottingham Forest will have to wait until next Saturday to find out who they meet in the play-offs in spite of beating relegated Plymouth.

Forest were in control for most of the first half, having the lion's share of the chances, and finished the half two goals up.

Forest were less convincing in the second half and Plymouth defended well to stop Forest from creating many chances. But in spite of the efforts of the away side, Forest got a stoppage time goal to make it 3-0.

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With the home crowd in good voice and the sun shining, Forest had the majority of the possession from the start.

Nathan Tyson had the first chance of the afternoon when he picked up the cross from Guy Moussi and tried to lob the ball over the keeper from the left edge of the penalty area, but his effort went over the crossbar.

And Robert Earnshaw was close a minute later when he ran onto a beautiful pass by Radoslaw Majewski and ran between two Plymouth players, but then sent his shot just wide of the post.

A long throw-in by Kari Arnason gave Plymouth their first chance of the afternoon, but Forest's Player of the Season, Lee Camp, rose up in a crowded box to claim the ball from Alan Judge's effort.

Forest took the lead in the 18^th minute after a beautiful ball from Majewski which split the Plymouth defence. He picked out Earnshaw as he ran into the box and controlled the ball well to put it past David Stockdale as he came out to meet it.

As Forest continued to dominate, a long-range shot by Tyson was parried away by Stockdale.

There were shouts for handball when a great pass by Majewski was stopped inside the box by Richard Eckersley, but the referee indicated the ball came off his chest.

Plymouth came close to a goal just after the half hour mark after a powerful shot by Judge forced Camp to dive quickly to his right to make the save. He was unable to keep hold of the ball but Moussi was on hand to get it away.

Forest got their second soon after, from an excellent cross by Moussi. The ball came into a crowd of bodies and was blocked by Stockdale before hitting Bondza N'Gala on its way into the back of the net, although Dexter Blackstock was quick to claim it for his own.

Forest continued to impress and a good move down the left finished with Tyson who tried to feed the ball through to Earnshaw as he ran into the box, but it was blocked by N'Gala for a Forest corner.

Another superb move forward in the 45th minute could have given Forest a third goal but a great challenge by Judge blocked Tyson's effort from the right.

And from the corner Blackstock saw his effort fly just inches over the crossbar.

With an end of season atmosphere around the City Ground and the home crowd in good spirits, there was an inevitability about the appearance of the Mexican wave at the start of the second half.

Early in the half, Forest kept up the pressure from the first half and some good build-up play finished with Blackstock heading over at the far post.

A good break by Plymouth saw them come close to getting a goal back but good defending by Wes Morgan blocked Bradley Wright-Phillips' effort from six yards out.

And the away side continued to look better than they had in the first half, with Forest far from having things all their own way.

In the 67^th minute, Paul Anderson came on for Chris Cohen, who received a standing ovation from the home crowd.

And Blackstock received an equally warm reception from the crowd as he was replaced by David McGoldrick.

With chances few and far between for either side and Plymouth continuing to play a much tighter game, the second half failed to live up to the first half.

When Tyson picked up an injury he limped off to be replaced by Lewis McGugan with six minutes remaining.

And he was quick to claim the ball when Forest won a free kick, but he blasted the ball straight into the wall.

Two Forest substitutes combined to produce a stoppage time third goal. Moussi fed the ball through to McGugan who touched it forward from the edge of the box to Anderson who sent the ball past Stockdale from six yards out.

Most of the home supporters remained behind as the players, coaching staff and assorted families came out to to a lap round the pitch with the biggest applause being saved for manager Billy Davies.

Nottingham Forest: Camp(C), Perch, Morgan, Wilson, Gunter, Cohen(Anderson 67min), Moussi, Majewski, Tyson(McGugan 84min), Blackstock(McGoldrick 73min), Earnshaw
Subs not used: Smith, Chambers, McCleary, Garner
Scorer: Earnshaw 19min, Blackstock 34min Anderson 90+2min

Plymouth: Stockdale, Fletcher(C), Johnson, Wright-Phillips(Bolasie
73min), Arnason(Barker, 84min), Johnson(Clark 45min), Eckersley, Judge, N'Gala, Mason, Bhasera
Subs not used: Larrieu, Duguid, Fallon, Summerfield,
Bookings: Johnson 30min, Eckersley 31min, D.Johnson 86min

Referee: N Swarbrick
Attendance: 22,602 away attn: 461