By Chris Clegg

Forest wrapped up their season with a deserved 4-2 victory over Port Vale at The City Ground.

The Reds started the game positively and created an opportunity through some good passing football on 2 minutes, as Matt Thornhill slammed a left foot shot wide of the near post.

Immediately after though, as Forest were still rueing the miss, the ball was pumped up the other end and before three minutes were on the clock, Port Vale centre half Charlie O'Loughlin had scored. The ball bounced around as the Reds failed to clear and O'Loughlin rose in front of Redmond, to score from close range.

Gareth McCleary floated into an offside position on 12 minutes to head a good looking ball wide of the target. Moments later, James Reid also placed a clear opportunity to score wide of the post. The home side were starting to come into this encounter though, and on 19 minutes McCleary almost converted a gift from Emile Sinclair, but he made no contact with the ball and the home side were still one down.

Just after the half hour mark, the Reds' early possession told as Thornhill and Sinclair combined cleverly on the edge of the box and Sinclair calmly slotted the ball inside the keeper's far post to equalise for Forest.

The home side appeared to be taking this game by the scruff of the neck and almost had the lead on 38 minutes as a cleverly worked corner resulted in Thornhill again blasting the ball wide of the target from twenty yards out. The Forest midfielder was again playing well in his quest for first team football: he has certainly been an influential cog in the powerful Forest reserve machine this season.

Deservingly, it was Thornhill who scored the next goal as he broke the offside trap, latching on to James Reid's precise pass, rounding the keeper and placing the ball home from just outside the box. Why the Vale keeper was positioned there is one of life's mysteries, as indeed is the fact that the Reds' were not more than one goal up at this point. 2-1 to Forest at half time.

Arron Davies replaced Gareth McCleary at half time and it was he who broke down the right hand side to force a corner immediately after the start. James Reid took the set piece and delivered a ball onto the head of Moloney, but the ball flew over the bar.

Moments later, Mark Byrne dribbled his way into the box from the right hand side, passing three Vale defenders and lashing a shot across the goal from the tightest of angles.

Felix Bastians replaced James Reid on 63 minutes and, like Davis, his impact was also instant. He took a corner on 65 minutes and floated the ball into the danger area, which was not cleared. The ball appeared to hit a Vale player but Bastians will claim the goal. 3-1 to the Reds.

Forest were now turning on the style that has been witnessed so many times in this successful season. However, it was Vale on the score sheet next as substitute Colin Miles floated in a dangerous ball, headed back by Davidson for O'Loughlin to score again, this time with his foot: it was proving to be a successful evening for the defender, as he reduced the deficit to 3-2 on 70 minutes.

The final stages were scrappy as both teams tried to force another goal. Joseph Heath came on for Matt Lockwood on 82 minutes.

On 86 minutes Forest broke away to score the best goal of the match. The build up was delightful, as Sinclair turned on half way to feed in the quick fire to Felix Bastians. He ran on down the left hand side, leaving any tired Vale defenders in his wake and crossed a beautiful ball towards Brendan Moloney, who brought the ball down on his chest and fired a spectacular volley past the hapless Lloyd Ransom in the Vale goal: a deserved 4-2 victory for the champions.

Forest: Redmond, Tait, Lockwood(Heath 82min), Power, Moloney, Sharpe, McCleary(Davies 45minHT), Thornhill, Sinclair, Byrne, Reid(Bastians 63min)
Subs not used: Kavanagh, Newbold
Scorer: Sinclair 31min, Thornhill 43min, Bastians 65min, Moloney 76min

Port Vale: Ransome, Hanson(Crompton 35min), Pike, Beeston(Malbon 84min), O'Loughlin, Lowe, Edwards, Davidson, Lawrie, Glover, Chapman
Subs: Miles, Lovatt, Branch
Bookings: Glover 57min, Davidson 76min
Scorer: O'Loughlin 3min 70min

Referee: S Procter-Green
Attendance 183