WITH a loud, tearing crunch and a wild lurch to one side, the evening came to a rather bizarre end for the players of Nottingham Forest as the team coach carrying them literally fell through the road in Portugal.

Their journey back to the hotel ended dramatically, barely 20 yards from the Estadio Municipal De Albufeira as a concrete drain cover gave way under the rear wheel of the bus, plunging the rear end into a deep, inescapable hole and leaving it stranded.

But, as Billy Davies and his players began the short, weary walk home up the Algarve hills, they ambled along with a smile on their faces.

Because, while it is still hugely early in the campaign to be reading too much into the events of a single match, there was nevertheless much cause for optimism in the pretty surrounds of the modest 3,500 capacity stadium.

Not least from the simple fact that Forest claimed a hard-fought victory over a Sporting Lisbon side that, in just a few weeks' time, will be contesting the third qualifying round of the Champions League.

For an older generation of Forest fans, this trip will have brought back memories of rather more glamorous forays on to European soil.

There is still a mountain to climb before, like their Portuguese opponents, the Reds can look forwards to taking on the Continent's elite in competitive football on a regular basis.

But, in terms of addressing the rather more modest – but not insignificant – goal of ensuring some stability in the Championship this season, Forest are already starting to look better equipped.

This was a night when the eyes of most of the 300 or so Forest fans who had made the trip will have been focused on monitoring the qualities of the club's most recent signings, all four of whom were handed a place in the starting line-up.

Lee Camp, the former QPR goalkeeper, and winger Paul Anderson, who arrived on a permanent basis from Liverpool, will have been familiar faces.

But Dele Adebola and David McGoldrick were both handed their debuts, following their arrivals from Bristol City and Southampton respectively.

And, while they understandably had the air of two players who had never played together up front, they – like the rest of the side – did provide odd moments of menace that augured plenty of hope for future possibilities.

With Adebola's huge, daunting physical presence and McGoldrick's pace and footwork – and fairly stocky frame of his own – they have the kind of qualities that could, in theory, make for a solid partnership.

Both had opportunities to net their first goal for the club, with McGoldrick in particular only denied by a smart, if somewhat desperate, save from Tiago, the Sporting keeper, who bravely swatted the ball off his toes as he raced clear, albeit in slightly unorthodox fashion.

But, if there is one player with a point to prove, it is the figure – the rather more toned figure, in fact – of Lewis McGugan.

The midfielder was criticised – and fined – for a lack of fitness towards the end of last season.

But, as the players enjoyed a short pre-match walk close to the hotel, manager Davies made a point of patting McGugan encouragingly on his now non-existent belly in front of everyone.

If that wasn't a clear message, then McGugan's performance was.

Like Forest in general, McGugan's best came only in short bursts.

But the Portuguese television cameras that had gathered to view the talents of players such as Veloso – a target for Aston Villa – and Moutinho – who Everton had seen a £15m offer for rejected – could not have failed to be impressed by a handful of impressive moments produced by the Forest man.

One turn on the edge of the box, after he had collected a pass from right-back Kelvin Wilson, almost engineered a spectacular goal, as he left the Sporting defence for dead and lined up a shot, before a last-minute, lunging challenge from Carrico thwarted him.

That is not to say this was a one-sided affair – far from it. Sporting, who have won the Portuguese title 18 times, were far from lacking quality.

Pereirinha bent one spectacular effort inches wide of post and bar and then, after some neat build-up, was denied by an adept block from Camp.

After the break, Moutinho was denied only by the woodwork, as his 25-yard drive cannoned back off the post.

While Paul Smith, who came on for the second half, had to produce an even better save to deny Postiga, the former Spurs player, late in the game, as he plunged low to his left to push the ball around the post.

By that stage, the game's defining moment had already been supplied by the enthusiastic Anderson, in the 80th minute.

The winger had demonstrated his passion to succeed with two separate outbursts of frustration when things had not gone his way.

But his determination was rewarded as substitute Garath McCleary delivered an incisive cross from the right, which Anderson, arriving in timely fashion, lashed home towards the far post.

For Forest, this was a morale boosting win against a side that boasted more quality than many they will face in the Championship this season.

But, as Anderson admitted afterwards, this was as much about fitness as anything.

And, given that they still had the energy to walk up the hill to the hotel after 90 minutes of football in fairly fierce heat, that does seem likely to be an issue.