GOALS by Frank Worthington, Jimmy Nicholson and Brian Mahoney were just what the manager ordered as Town clinched a priceless 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest.

It was a first win in six league games for Ian Greaves’ side, who had been finding goals hard to come by.

It meant sixth-bottom Town put valuable ground between themselves and Forest, who were four points worse off (two for a win) and just above the two-club relegation zone.

And Greaves’ mood was improved even further on learning that basement duo Burnley and Blackpool had both lost.

Town were eight points above Burnley, their next opponents at Leeds Road, after the Clarets were beaten 1-0 at home to Southampton, and 10 better off than Blackpool, who lost 2-0 at Chelsea.

Things began badly at the City Ground, where 15,798 saw Matt Gillies’ side take a 20th-minute lead through Neil Martin, their recent signing from Coventry.

The seasoned Scottish striker was in the right place to pounce from close range after keeper David Lawson could only parry a fierce shot by Barry Lyons, the former Rotherham man.

Town had to withstand a spell of Forest fire, but once Worthington had equalised three minutes before the break, it was a different game.

It was pretty much a goal out of nothing, with keeper Jim Barron fumbling an innocuous cross by Dick Krzywicki and Worthington nodding home his 11th of the campaign.

Town really took the game to their hosts in the second half, with midfield duo Nicholson and Steve Smith outstanding, and the only surprise was that it took until the final 10 minutes for the clinching strikes to come.

Northern Ireland ace Nicholson, above, notched his second of the season with a well-struck 25-yard shot.

Then teenager Mahoney claimed his first league goal by taking advantage of hesitancy in the Forest defence to convert Smith’s pass.

It completed a bright afternoon for Town, who learned they would be facing Sampdoria and Bologna in that summer’s Anglo- Italian Cup, each over two legs.

Six clubs from each country were involved, with those from each country with the best record meeting in the final in Italy.