The agony for Nottingham Forest is that there are only eight games left in their late pursuit of the play-offs . The ecstasy is Michail Antonio . The powerhouse winger showed improbable runs to glory can be completed with a solo goal to savour as manager Dougie Freedman collected another three points . Antonio ’ s display was the story of this match . More than once he beat Rotherham ’ s defenders for strength and pace before applying a deftness of touch . Nottingham Forest striker Dexter Blackstock ( right ) tussles with Rotherham 's Kari Amason ( left ) Rotherham 's Richard Smallwood ( left ) slides in with a strong challenge on Forest 's Ben Osborn ( right ) Nottingham Forest winger Michail Antonio ( right ) vies for the ball with Rotheram 's Jack Hunt ( left ) Forest ( 4-4-2 ) : Darlow , Mancienne , Lascelles , Wilson , Lichaj , Gardner , Burke ( Walker 90 ) , Lansbury , Osborn , Antonio , Blackstock ( Barrow 79 ) Subs not used : Collins , Fox , Paterson , Vaughan , Evtimov . Booked : Gardner . Scorers : Blackstock 43 , Antonio 45 . Rotherham ( 4-4-2 ) : Collin , Hunt ( Richardson 48 ) , Rawson , Broadfoot , Lafferty , Smallwood ( Milsom 57 ) , Arnason , Sammon , Frecklington , Pringle , Derbyshire ( Bowery 75 ) Subs not used : Green , Morgan , Hammill , Thompson . Booked : Smallwood , Arnason . Referee : Michael Bull . Attendance : 20,569 . His goal , as the interval approached , was a combination of his talents . Picking up the ball well inside his own half , he turned and galloped . He checked inside Jack Hunt , sped clear of Kari Arnason , cut across Farrend Rawson and unleashed a shot from 25 yards that flew into the bottom corner . There was an inevitability about it all . Eric Lichaj will be credited with the assist but in much the same way a tee might aid a 300-yard drive by Rory McIlroy . It was Antonio ’ s 13th goal of the season since a £1.5million move from Sheffield Wednesday . What a bit of business that now looks . Blackstock ( centre ) rides the challenges of Lee Frecklington ( left ) and Smallwood ( right ) Frecklington ( left ) is fouled by Osborn ( right ) during the Championship match at The City Ground . Two minutes earlier Antonio had set up the opener , lofting a ball into the path of Dexter Blackstock . The striker crept behind Kirk Broadfoot and lobbed a finish that goalkeeper Adam Collin got a hand to but in vain . The result extends Freedman ’ s record to seven wins , two draws , and one defeat since taking over from Stuart Pearce . Brentford , in sixth , are eight points ahead . It seems just too much , but you never know . Rotherham are in a similar predicament at the other end . Steve Evans ’ team sit six points above the drop zone . They mounted a challenge of sorts in the second half , and very nearly pulled one back when Lee Frecklington sent a sweet shot against the post . Karl Darlow then produced a magnificent save with 17 minutes left when diving to keep out Conor Sammon ’ s firm shot . Blackstock ( right ) opens the scoring for Forest during their 2-0 win over Rotherham on Wednesday night . He is congratulated by Forest team-mate Henri Lansbury ( top ) as Forest make a late charge for the play-offs . With the match won , Freedman gave 18-year-old Tyler Walker , son of Forest legend Des , his debut as an injury time substitute . Evans said : ‘ It ’ s a cruel game , we were the better side in the first half for long spells. ’ But the night belonged to Antonio . ‘ Every team needs a bit of magic and certainly Michail gives us that , ’ said Freedman . He added a thinly veiled call to neighbours Derby , who have not won in five games . ‘ Of course the season is finishing too early but we need to make sure we take care of business and keep on winning , ’ Freedman said . ‘ It ’ s a fierce competition like I ’ ve never seen . Teams above us are really panicking . Certain teams that are not too far away from us location-wise. ’ Antonio has scored 13 goals since his £1.5 million move from Sheffield Wednesday last summer . Forest 's Michael Mancienne ( left ) dribbles with the ball ahead of Frecklington ( right ) at The City Ground .
First-half goals from Dexter Blackstock and Michail Freedman sealed the win . Winger Freedman has now scored 13 goals for Forest this season . Forest could make a late push for the play-off spots .