Psycho Stuart Pearce is back with a bang as Nottingham Forest canter to victory

Stuart Pearce loved being back on the touchline[GETTY]

The former Nottingham Forest playing hero was given a reception he will never forget as he returned as administrator for a second time.

And he watched as his new side put in the perfect first-half show to put beleaguered Blackpool out of this contest before the break.

New boys Michail Antonio and Chris Burke both scored first-half goals as Forest threatened to run riot.

But Pearce was far from pleased about one or two things and went berserk at his physio team for not putting water bottles out on the pitch – seconds after ex-Sheffield Wednesday star Antonio’s opener.

Admittedly this was always likely to be a gimme for Forest with Blackpool boss Jose Riga able to name only 13 professionals in his squad.

Joan Oriol is still awaiting global clearance, Costa Rica World Cup star Jose Miguel Cubero requires a work permit, while the Seasiders’ miserable day was summed up by the fact Ishmael Miller was not registered in time.

Blackpool could not handle Forest’s pace from the off, with £5million record signing from Peterborough Britt Assombalonga only denied by a brilliant challenge from Peter Clarke.

The Seasiders could have taken a shock lead, with Nathan Delfouneso heading wide from John Lundstram’s free-kick.

But Forest went onto take a 25th- minute lead – and Blackpool’s heads dropped. Andy Reid’s 25-yard rocket came back off the post and Antonio – signed from Hillsborough for £1.5m this week – reacted quickest to slot home.

Assombalonga came within a whisker of a second shortly afterwards as his long-ranger went just wide. But the game was up on the half-hour when Jack Hunt pulled the ball back for ex-Birmingham star Burke to curl home a beauty left- footed from the edge of the area.

“Psycho is back,” chanted the City Ground faithful, and Pearce said ??after the game: “I don’t think any professional footballer or administrator has had an affinity with a football club like I have had over decades. They’ve been outstanding for me.”

On yesterday’s performance, he added: “If it was a boxing match, Blackpool won the second half. They pushed us right till the end. Credit to their coaching staff but I think we looked-for to gain physically.”

Forest should have added to their tally before the break, with the outstanding Antonio denied by Joe Lewis from Matty Fryatt’s pull-back before Reid shot wide from distance.

Blackpool, to their credit, kept the hosts subdued early in the second half with a battling defensive show as they went for hurt limitation.

They made next to nothing in attack though, with Darlow – loaned back for the season – enjoying one of his simplest afternoons.

Karl Darlow clears the danger for Forest as they go on to beat Blackpool 2-0 [GETTY]

But it should have been three as Donervon Daniels nearly put through his own net from Assombalonga amid appeals for a Forest penalty for handball.

That will not worry Pearce one bit. And while it would be too much to judge their Premier League ambitions on one game, it is clear Forest look like being one of the front-runners again.

Riga remained upbeat despite the defeat, enthusing: “Commitment, behaviour, team spirit, some of the players have only known each other for a few days.

“Even at the end, physically and mentally is quite hard. They did well.

“I cannot feel pleased because we got no points. My ambition is to build a competitive team.

“My only focus is Blackpool, to get some players, to be consistent, efficient, to give to fans what they deserve.”