Crystal Palace 0-3 Nott Forest: Daily Mirror match report

Radoslaw Majewski fired Forest a step nearer survival with a second-half hat-trick to put the smile back on the face of Steve Cotterill.

Cotterill felt his Polish ace was a virtual spectator in the first half, but that changed after the break as the 25-year-old bagged his first treble in professional football.

His first, a thunderous left-foot drive was followed up with a long-range right-foot drive before a third composed finish.

And Majewski who has only recently come back into the side, revealed: “I didn’t expect it. At half-time the gaffer asked me if I was going to join the party. After the game I asked him if I had.

“The last time I scored three I was about eight-years-old. I don’t know if he can drop me now. You never know.”

Majewski, who won the last of his eight caps last year, is hoping his efforts will not go unnoticed back home with the European Championships on his home soil round the corner.

He added: “I have only played recently so maybe the Polish gaffer has already got a squad in his mind. Maybe I can change his mind if I have more performances like this.

“Hopefully he will see my hat-trick. It would be nice to play as it is in Poland. Hopefully I will speak to the gaffer soon.”

Palace hopes of making the top six are virtually over, but midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi said: “I don’t think we deserved to lose 3-0. We just need to make sure we finish in a respectable position.”