Nottingham Forest completed their pre-season programme in impressive style with victory over Premiership new boys Birmingham City at a rain-soaked City Ground.

A goal in each half by David McGoldrick and substitute Robert Earnshaw earned Forest their win but they overshadowed the visitors to such an extent that the margin of victory could so easily have been greater.

The only disappointment for manager Billy Davies was conceding an 80th minute Lee Carsley goal that threatened to deny Forest the win but Earnshaw's clinical finish three minutes later made sure justice was done.

It was Forest's second heartening performance against Premier League opposition in four days following their 1-1 draw with Stoke last Wednesday and with a week to go to the big kick-off at Reading next Saturday, there is no doubt that optimism is in The City Ground air.

Forest dominated the first half hour but the nearest they came to a goal was when McGoldrick forced a full length save from Joe Hart in the ninth minute after Joe Garner had won the ball in midfield.

Birmingham came more into the game as half-time approached and Gary McSheffrey, who had a spell on loan with the Reds in the second half of last season, headed past the post after Roger Johnson had won the ball in the air.

Then Wes Morgan got in a decisive intervention to prevent Johnson getting his head to a far post corner by James McFadden.

But in the five minutes before half-time Forest built up more attacking momentum that eventually led to them taking the lead.

Dexter Blackstock was denied a goal with a close range effort from Radoslaw Majewski's corner but Birmingham failed to get the ball out of their own half and Forest were back to take a 42nd minute lead.

Joel Lynch delivered an excellent ball beyond the far post and when Blackstock headed it back across goal, McGoldrick had the simple task of lashing the ball into the net from only a yard out.

Torrential rain greeted the players at the start of the second half and before Forest had settled back into their rhythm, the Blues threatened an equaliser.

McSheffrey's free-kick found the head of defender Martin Taylor and it needed a brilliant instinctive save from Camp to turn his effort over and keep Forest ahead.

Taylor fell badly in the incident and after lengthy treatment on the field, worryingly for Birmingham he was stretchered off with his right leg in a splint.

Forest almost added to their lead in the 64th minute when Dele Adebola, who had only been on the field five minutes, saw his shot turned aside by Hart after Garner had headed the ball into his path.

Adebola went close with a header from Majewski's corner and soon afterwards burst through the middle of the Birmingham defence before shooting straight at Hart.

Adebola was again denied when, following a Morgan-inspired attack, he had a shot deflected for a corner and as Forest maintained the pressure Lewis McGugan saw a 20 yard shot turned away by Hart.

All of Forest's excellent work was wiped out in the 80th minute, however, when Birmingham forced an equaliser. Stephen Carr sent Damien Johnson clear on the by line and when he pulled his cross back Carsley gave Camp no chance with a fierce strike at the near post.

But it all ended well for Forest three minutes later when the impressive Paul McKenna found Earnshaw who tricked his way beyond Johnson before sliding a right foot shot past the on-coming Hart.

Earnshaw had a last minute chance to grab his second and Forest's third after he skipped past Hart after the Blues keeper had come chasing out of his goal but the Reds striker tried to turn the ball in from an impossible angle and shot into the side-netting.

Nottingham Forest: Lee Camp, Luke Chambers, Wes Morgan, Joe Garner(Lewis McGugan,  66min), Chris Cohen(Nathan Tyson 60min), Chris Gunter, David McGoldrick(Dele Adebola 60min), Paul McKenna(C),, Dexter Blackstock(Robert Earnshaw 60min), Radoslaw Majewski(Garath McCleary 66min), Joel Lynch
Subs not used: Aaron Mitchell, Paul Anderson, Arron Davies, Paul Smith
Scorers: McGoldrick 41min, Earnshaw 82min

Birmingham City: Joe Hart, Stephen Carr, Martin Taylor(Jacob Rowe 51min) Cameron Jerome, Gary McSheffery(Marcus Bent 58min)(Luke Hubbins 73min), Barry Ferguson, James McFadden, Stuart Parnaby, Damien Johnson, Lee Carsley(C) Roger Johnson.
Subs not used: Colin Doyle, Jared Wilson, Ashley Sammons,  Shaun Timmins,
Bookings: Rowe 86min
Scorer: Carsley 80min 

Referee: Mr A. Woolmer
Attendance: 6,735 Away attn:783