Nottingham Forest's determination and good defending earned them all three points after a game against Sheffield Wednesday that was at times scrappy.

There were few clear-cut chances for either side in the first half but Forest went in at half time a goal up courtesy of a penalty.

After some fairly untidy play in the second half, Wednesday finally broke down the Forest defence to level the scoreline. But Forest were back in front soon after and worked hard to keep themselves there.

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Lee Camp was in action in the second minute when Luke Varney got the first shot on target, but it was an easy save for the Forest keeper.

And Camp saw a lot more of the ball than the Wednesday keeper Lee Grant in the opening minutes as the away side continued to push forward.

Forest almost had a chance when a poor clearance by Wednesday fell for Chris Gunter, who nodded the ball forward to Dexter Blackstock and Grant had to come to the edge of his box to gather the ball.

Forest were awarded a penalty 23 minutes into the game after the arm of Darren Purse blocked Blackstock's shot just inside the box. The Forest striker quickly gathered up the ball and walked to the spot and his superbly taken penalty sent Grant the wrong way and the ball went flying into the top of the net.

Forest could have made it two soon after when a powerful long-range shot from Nathan Tyson forced Grant to make the save.

And as Forest continued to threaten, a long ball forward from James Perch dropped over Robert Earnshaw and into the penalty area, but it was a hard ball for the Forest striker to control and his effort went over the bar.

When Wednesday won a corner, Michael Gray's ball to the far post saw Camp look as confident as ever as he plucked the ball out of the sky.

Gray picked up the first yellow card of the afternoon when he brought Chris Cohen down just outside the box, to the right. The free kick was well taken by Earnshaw who curled the ball round the wall and forced a good save from Grant.

Wednesday had chances late in the half from a series of free kicks and corners but they were still unable to find the target.

Wednesday started the second half confidently and almost went level when they won a free kick five yards outside the box to the left.Potter's attempt took a deflection off a Forest head just as Camp was about to come out and collect the ball and he could only watch as the ball went towards the net and fortunately bounced off the bar.

Forest made a break and a good cross by Paul McKenna found Tyson but he wasn't able to make good enough contact to threaten the goal.

It was generally stop-start, scrappy football as both sides gave the ball away too often, but Forest continued to look defensively very strong.

And straight after a double substitution by Wednesday, they put Forest under pressure and Camp could only punch the ball away as Forest struggled to clear the danger.

Wednesday equalized in the 73^rd minute after the ball had bounced and ricochet around the penalty area before falling into the path of Luke Varney, who slotted it past Camp.

But just seven minutes later Forest were back in front from a Cohen free kick. Blackstock's first header was parried away by Grant but it came back out to the Forest striker who made no mistake this time, putting the ball into the bottom right from six yards out.

Wednesday were quickly on the attack and from a corner Camp was only able to send the ball into a crowd of bodies before it was eventually cleared.

Blackstock, now the club's leading goalscorer, received a standing ovation when he was substituted with seven minutes to go, replaced by David McGoldrick.

The refereeing had been so poor during the game that, in stoppage time, two correct decisions, awarded in Forest's favour, received rounds of applause from the Trent End.

It was a very nervy final five minutes of stoppage time as Wednesday made a late push forward and it was well into the sixth minute before Forest finally cleared the ball and the referee blew the full time whistle.

Nottingham Forest: Camp, Gunter, Morgan, Wilson, Perch, Cohen, McKenna(C), Moussi, Tyson(Anderson 65min), Blackstock,(McGoldrick 83min) Earnshaw(Adebola 69min)
Subs not used: Smith, Chambers, Majewski, McGugan
Bookings: Gunter 72min, Anderson 90+4min
Scorer: Blackstock pen 24min, 80min

Sheffield Wednesday: Grant, Spurr, Purse(C), Tudgay, Potter, Beevers, O'Connor, Varney, Simek, Soares(Clarke 67min), Gray(Esajas 67min)
Subs not used: Hinds, McAllister, Jekaj, Boden, Jameson
Bookings: Gray 33min, Varney 74min
Scorer:Varney 73min
Referee: T M Kettle

Attendance: 27,900 Away 3,718