After creating plenty of chances, Nottingham Forest's run in the Carling Cup came to an end, beaten by Premiership side Blackburn Rovers.

Forest outplayed Blackburn in the first half and created chances but it was Blackburn who went in at half time in the lead, scoring from a free kick eight minutes before the break.

Forest missed a second-half penalty that could have given them the equalizer and had more chances to get back in the game, but were unable to find that final ball.

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Forest had the first real chance of the game following good delivery by Chris Cohen to Joe Garner at the back post. He sent the ball across the face of goal and it hit the leg of Dexter Blackstock before it was comfortably gathered up by Jason Brown.

Nathan Tyson showed his speed down the left, beating his man and getting the ball into the box to the feet of Robert Earnshaw, but he was unable to extract the ball from between his legs.

Wes Morgan had a half chance when the ball ricocheted off two players inside the penalty area before finding him, but his effort from eight yards out fizzed well wide of the post.

Forest came much closer following a good cross from Joel Lynch. The ball took a deflection to Tyson whose header at the near post was just inches wide.

Blackburn's chances were also few and far between, coming closest when David Hoilett crossed to Nicola Kalinic but he also headed wide of the post.

The away side took the lead in the 37th minute after Martin Olssen went down under Garner's challenge. It was well taken by Benedict McCarthy who sent the ball flying through a crowded box and just inside the far post.

Forest came close to a quick equalizer from a free kick when Earnshaw's effort curled in from 30 yards out, rebounded off the top of the crossbar and out of play.

Early in the second half Benedict McCarthy missed a chance from Steven Reid's cross when he headed wide of the far post from seven yards out.

Quick action by the Blackburn keeper prevented a chance for Forest following a low ball in from Lynch and Brown had to be alert to dive on the ball before anyone could get on the end of it.

And there was another chance for Forest when Tyson produced some lovely footwork on the left to get round his man and put in a cross, but the ball was grabbed almost off the head of Blackstock by Brown.

They came close to the elusive equalizer when Chris Cohen's long-range shot headed towards goal and dipped, forcing Brown to reach high and get a fingertip to the ball to tip it over for a corner.

Forest had another chance when they were awarded a penalty 27 minutes into the half when the ball fell from a high clearance onto the outstretched arm of Reid. Blackstock walked up to place the ball on the spot and hit it strongly enough, only to see Brown dive to his left to get both hands to the ball.

Blackburn put pressure on the Forest goal when a ball was whipped in by McCarthy and went out off Morgan for a corner. And a header from the resulting corner had to be cleared off the line.

Forest put some late pressure on Blackburn but a magnificent header from Morgan came to nothing when Tyson completely mis-kicked from close range and sent the ball wide.

Forest won a corner in the 90th minute when substitute Paul Anderson's ball in from the left was volleyed out by Keith Andrews. Cohen's ball from the corner came in to Adebola whose header was sent over the crossbar by Earnshaw who was standing on the line and couldn't get out the way.

Blackburn successfully frustrated Forest in the four minutes injury time to hold onto their lead and progress to the next round.

Nottingham Forest: Paul Smith, Chris Gunter, Wes Morgan, Kelvin Wilson, Joel Lynch, Chris Cohen, Joe Garner(Paul Anderson, 83min), Paul McKenna(C)(Lewis McGugan, 83min), Nathan Tyson, Dexter Blackstock(Dele Adebola, 75min), Robert Earnshaw
Subs not used: Lee Camp, Luke Chambers, David McGoldrick, Guy Moussi,

Blackburn Rovers: Jason Brown, Ryan Nelson(C), Martin Olsson, Michel Salgado(Lars Jacobsen 62min), Phil Jones, Brett Emerton, Steven Nzonzi, Steven Reid(Keith Andrews 75min), Nicola Kalinic, Junior Hoilett, Benni McCarthy(Pascal Chimbonda 90+2min)
Subs not used: Aaron Doran, Elrio Van Heerden, Gavin Gunning, Frank Fielding,
Bookings: Salgado 16min
Scorer: McCarthy 37min

Referee: M Oliver
Attendance: 11,553 away attn1022