An early Yohan Benalouane strike gave Nottingham Forest three crucial points as they kept their Championship playoff dreams alive at the expense of local rivals Derby County.
Key players injured
There were blows to both teams in the build-up to the contest with Lewis Grabban and Tom Lawrence both missing out through injury.
Forest welcomed back captain Ben Watson after being rested last time out at Preston, the central midfielder taking the place of top goalscorer Grabban to force a reshuffle in formation to 4-3-2-1.
Andy King was selected for his second start under Frank Lampard, replacing Craig Bryson for Derby who missed out altogether alongside the creative Lawrence who has now sat out three games with an Achilles problem.
Lightning start
Under an incredible backdrop of noise, depicting the intensity of this rivalry, it was Forest who struck first blood in the opening seconds. A looped free-kick from Joe Lolley wasn't dealt with by a nervy Derby defence and headed back across goal by Daryl Murphy, duly finding Benalouane to stab home his first Forest goal. It took 74 seconds for Nottinghamshire to erupt.
Whilst Derby tried to settle into their usual possession game, Forest hounded the ball with their three red shirts in the middle of the park. The strength of Murphy was proving to be a key asset up front, his link play feeding the Forest wide players as they continued to threaten on the break. The striker was more than a handful, heading over from around the penalty spot after a Forest long throw.
The visitors were looking to make strides down the flanks with 18-year old Jayden Bogle receiving a sharp introduction to East Midlands derbies as the Reds crashed into a number of tackles on the teenager. Yet it was through the middle that Derby created their first opportunity and really should have equalised. Martyn Waghorn sprung the offside trap only to clip his effort over Costel Pantilimon and wide of the post.
It was quite a miss but Forest were guilty of an even worse blunder in front of goal moments later. Joe Lolley stole the ball off Fikayo Tomori before laying a pass into the path of Murphy who was through on goal. Yet a terrible touch took it out of his feet and into the grateful arms of Kelle Roos, continuing to deputise for the injured Scott Carson. 15 minutes in and the score should have been 2-1.
Outlets on the right
Derby were looking to the experience of Tom Huddlestone to pull the strings from the base of midfield and he picked out the marauding run of Ashley Cole to roll back the years on the left. Forest failed to clear their lines from Cole's cross and right-back Bogle almost bundled his way through but couldn't force a strike with any purchase.
Whilst Bogle appeared to be an outlet on Derby's right, Lolley offered the same threat for Forest. Cole was struggling to cope. Lolley's fleet footwork manufactured an opening but he could only fire straight at Roos from outside the box.
The heat of the contest was beginning to match the atmosphere in the crowd and Duane Holmes lost his cool. Forest Academy graduate Ryan Yates went steaming into a challenge with the ball rolling out of play, only for Holmes to react and push him down to the ground and create a scuffle. Yellows for both.
Forest were undoubtedly the more dangerous side and were close to adding a second just after the half hour mark. Ben Osborn clattered his way down the left and picked out Lolley at the back post. The winger attempted a difficult first-time volley that was helped towards goal by Yates but inches wide.
A feisty and fast-paced half eventually cooled down minutes before the break without any further damage for the visitors. There was certainly work for Lampard do.
Tension builds
The response was swift. Derby were sent out a couple of minutes earlier than their rivals with an attacking substitution in the form of regular substitute Florian Josefzoon for defensive midfielder Huddlestone. The winger almost made an immediate impact, stinging the palms of Pantilimon.
Yet the second half plan was quickly undone as King hobbled off injured, albeit Derby had a more than adequate and experienced replacement in the form of Bradley Johnson. Meanwhile, Lolley fired just wide from the edge of the penalty area just before the change could be made.
Passion was slowly filtering into tension. You could sense the next goal could be crucial and one that could end the playoff hopes of either side. Derby were gradually working forward, Forest dropping deep. It took a storming Lolley run from the edge of his own box to get the hosts anywhere near the visiting goal, a worry for Derby how he left Cole and Tomori treading water.
Forest kill the tempo
The game needed fresh faces as the pace of the opening 30 minutes caught up with those out on the pitch. Adlene Guedioura came into the fold for Watson whilst Mason Bennett made his 16th substitute appearance of the campaign to replace the quiet Harry Wilson. A late change of plan after David Nugent appeared to be coming on.
Guedioura's introduction instantly propelled Forest forward as they regained control, the midfielder going close to scoring his side's second only for a trademark Richard Keogh block. In contrast, the best Derby could muster for a good 25 minutes was a weak free-kick from Waghorn straight into the arms of Pantilimon. Meanwhile, the impressive Murphy made way for on-loan striker Leo Bonatini.
Derby were still struggling to create as the game headed towards injury time, an ambitious volley from Johnson defining the impressive defensive display of the home side.
And that was as dangerous as it got for the visitors who missed their chance of breaking into the playoff places and now find Forest just one point behind them. The scale of the result reflected in a fiery end to the contest as players from both sides exchanged words.
Key takeaways from the contest
Ashley Cole can't cope at this level
Joe Lolley is undoubtedly one of Forest's most talented players but the way he ghosted past Cole on numerous occasions would have been a real worry for Lampard. Derby would have been counting on his experience in such a hostile atmosphere but Cole failed to stand up and be counted.
Derby missing Lawrence
A free-scoring side earlier in the season, Derby's recent poor run of form has been due to a lack of creativity going forward. Tom Lawrence is proving to be a huge miss with County losing all three games he has been absent.
Forest organised and compact
Rarely has Harry Wilson been so ineffective but the way Forest killed his creativity was synonymous of a Martin O'Neil - Roy Keane team. The midfield three were compact, organised and well-drilled, pressing at the right moments but never leaving themselves short. Other than Waghorn's early opportunity, Forest barely gave anything to their rivals.