In a classic game of two halves Nottingham Forest pulled off a superb second half performance to take a giant step towards staying in the Championship.

In an uninspiring first half Forest created very little going forward and looked poor in defence as, at times, Coventry looked sure to score. But Forest held on and the half finished goalless.

Forest could not have responded better, taking the lead in the opening minute of the second half and dominating for much of the second 45 minutes.

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With Kelvin Wilson's season coming to a premature end following his red card at Sheffield United and with Ian Breckin dropping to the bench as he is not fully fit, Paul Anderson and Lewis McGugan joined the starting line-up.

It was Coventry who applied the most pressure in the opening stages of the game but it was 18 minutes before they gave Paul Smith anything to do.

The chance came when Freddy Eastwood crossed the ball to Clinton Morrison who turned and shot straight towards the Forest keeper who had no trouble gathering the ball in his arms.

Three minutes later Forest had their first chance of the half from the first corner of the game. McGugan's ball found Luke Chambers whose header hit the crossbar and came back out towards Isiah Osbourne, but he couldn't control the ball and it went out for a goal kick.

Coventry won a free kick on the edge of the D when Morrison went down under a challenge, but Danny Fox sent the ball flying high over the crossbar.

They missed another chance to take the lead in the 29^th when Morrison turned and got a cross over to Eastwood at the back post and fortunately for Forest he sent the ball wide.

Good work by Chris Gunter produced a half chance for Forest who combined well with Isiah Osbourne to put the Coventry goal under pressure but the ball was scrambled away at the near post by Fox for a corner.

Forest put themselves under pressure in front of the Coventry goal with mis-kicks by both Chambers and Wes Morgan before Gunter finally cleared the ball.

Three minutes before half time Coventry won another free kick in a dangerous position when Aron Gunnarsson went down right on the edge of the penalty area to the right of the D. Fox hit the ball straight into the wall and it eventually went out for a corner.

Paul Anderson, who had been struggling with what appeared to be an ankle problem in the first half, did not re-appear for the second, replaced by Garath McCleary.

Forest were in front after just 37 seconds when McGugan sent the ball across from the right. Dexter Blackstock held it up well and crossed to James Perch as he ran in from the left and sent the ball flying low into the corner of the net.

Forest looked a different side after that and substitute McCleary threatened when he got on the end of Blackstock's ball and tried to lob it over the keeper, but couldn't keep the ball down and it went over the bar.

Forest threatened again when Cohen got up from a challenge to get forward with the ball and produce a super shot which was tipped over the bar by Keiren Westwood.

Forest were almost two ahead from Cohen's corner which Garner couldn't control so he back-heeled the ball to Osbourne. His shot came off Blackstock's leg and went wide of the post.

Four minutes stoppage time saw Coventry push forward until a foul by Isaac Osbourne gave Smith the final kick of the game.

Nottingham Forest: Paul Smith, Chris Gunter, Luke Chambers, Wes Morgan, James Perch(C), Chris Cohen, Isaiah Osbourne, Lewis McGugan(Ian Breckin 85min), Paul Anderson(Garath McCleary 45minHT), Dexter Blackstock, Joe Garner
Subs: Shane Redmond, Arron Davies, Robert Earnshaw
Bookings:McGugan 14min, Chambers 58min,
Scorer: Perch 46min

Coventry City: Keiren Westwood, Isaac Osbourne, Danny Fox, Eliott Ward, Scott Dann (C)(Ben Turner 69min), Guillaume Beuzelin, Aron Gunnarsson, Michael Doyle, Robbie Simpson(Ashley Cain 75min), Clinton Morrison, Freddy Eastwood
Subs: Marcus Hall, Andy Marshall, Adam Walker,
Bookings: Doyle 64min, Cain 90min, Osbourne 90+4min

Referee: S Tanner

Attendance: 27,856 away attn:2,238