After a poor first half in which they conceded three goals, Nottingham Forest produced a superb second-half performance to score two and make a contest of the game.

Forest were totally outplayed by Preston in the first half as they struggled to create anything and allowed the home side to run all over them. Preston easily broke down the Forest defence to score their first, they added to that after Forest conceded a penalty and got a third soon after.

A goal for Forest from the penalty spot early in the second half gave Forest a glimmer of hope. And when they scored a second there was a real buzz amongst the travelling supporters.

But in spite of the efforts of the away side, Preston did enough to hold onto their lead and take all three points.

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Forest had an early scare when the ball broke for Preston in the opening minute. The cross came in well to Chris Brown whose header had Lee Camp scrambling for the ball as it went just wide of the post.

And the home side continued to look lively in the opening minutes, with Forest struggling to get the ball up the other end.

Preston were rewarded for their perseverance with a goal in the 20th minute when three players made a break against two Forest defenders. Neil Mellor made a good run and played the ball to the right where Ross Wallace was given far too much space and finished calmly to put the ball past Camp.

A great break by Paul Anderson could have created a chance for Forest to get a quick goal back, but the ball ended up running between Dexter Blackstock and David McGoldrick.

But then Preston made a break and were awarded a penalty for a foul by Chris Cohen on Billy Jones. Captain Callum Davidson drilled the ball low down the middle and past Camp as he dived the wrong way, to put the some side two goals up.

A thunderbolt from 18-year Matthew James, on loan from Manchester United, put Preston three up just four minutes later from a throw-in. The ball ended up at Wallace's feet and he spotted James in a good position and squared the ball for him to send a great shot from 20 yards which flew into the top corner.

Forest had a rare chance late in the half when Lewis McGugan's effort from 25 yards was only just wide.

But could have been four for Preston when Forest got caught on the counter-attack. Davidson made the break and crossed to Chris Sedgwick, who headed just wide.

Forest were lucky not to be four down just before half time when Mellor nodded the ball down for Brown whose shot went just wide from close range.

A half-time substitution for Forest saw Luke Chambers start in place of Lewis McGugan.

It was a much brighter start to the second half by Forest and they had a chance early on when Cohen's cross found found George Boyd but his effort from the left of the penalty area was blocked by Sean St. Ledger.

The roles were reversed when Forest were awarded a penalty for a foul on Cohen by Jones. Blackstock stepped up to take it and sent the ball low into the corner as Andy Lonergan was unable to reach it.

Forest were boosted by the goal and great work by Blackstock and McGoldrick gave Cohen the chance of a second, but his effort was off target.

And they came close again when Cohen did well to win a header and the ball came down for Blackstock but his volley from the edge of the penalty area was over the crossbar.

Forest made a positive substitution as they replaced Boyd with Robert Earnshaw with just over 20 minutes remaining.

And the substitution paid off with a second goal when Blackstock controlled the ball beautifully and fed it to the feet of Earnshaw who put the ball past Lonergan with 14 minutes to go.

And with a third goal in mind, Dele Adebola became Forest's third substitute, coming on for Anderson with ten minutes to go.

Forest poured men forward as the game raced towards the final whistle and the travelling supporters were were vocal in their support.

Chambers had one shot over the bar and Earnshaw found the side-netting but they were unable to get the elusive equalizer.

Nottingham Forest: Camp(C), Morgan, Wilson, Gunter, Cohen, Anderson(Adebola 80min), Boyd(Earnshaw 69min), Moussi, McGugan(Chambers 45minHT), McGoldrick, Blackstock
Subs not used: Smith, Majewski, Garner,Tyson,
Bookings: Blackstock 85min, Morgan 89min, Wilson 90min
Scorer: Blackstock pen 56min, Earnshaw 76min

Preston North End: Lonergan, Davidson(C), Mawene(Chilvers 41min), Sedgwick(Treacy 82min), Brown, St. Ledger, Coutts, Jones, James, Wallace, Mellor(Chaplow 80min)
Subs not used: Henderson, Hart, Carter, Mayor
Scorers: Wallace 20min, Davidson pen 29min, James 32min
Bookings: St Ledger 52min, Wallace 61min, Davidson 66min, Chaplow 89min

Referee: M Haywood
Attendance: 14,426