NOTTINGHAM Forest's bad luck – and bad form – continued as Middlesbrough claimed their first win over the Reds since 1999, on a night when the Reds' hopes of avoiding relegation were dealt a significant blow.

Steve Cotterill's side have now won only one of their last 13 games in the Championship and, with relegation rivals Coventry beating Leeds, they dropped to second from bottom in the table, just a point ahead of Doncaster and six points from safety.

But they will have made the long journey home last night, again feeling that they might well have got more from a game in which they had enjoyed spells of domination – not least when Middlesbrough found themselves down to ten men for the last 15 minutes, following the sending off of Kevin Thomson.

As it was, goals from Marvin Emnes and Lukas Jutkiewicz one minute either side of half-time had put Boro in a 2-0 lead, before substitute Joel Lynch pulled one back for Forest with a flicked header in the 66th minute.

There were no surprises in the Forest starting line-up as manager Cotterill kept faith with the same team that had produced a lively, encouraging performance against Watford just a few days before.

Marcus Tudgay, the striker, remained sidelined with illness, which meant the bench also remained unchanged, with Dexter Blackstock and Robbie Findley providing the attacking options and the likes of Lewis McGugan, Radi Majewski, Paul Anderson and Jonathan Greening all unable to earn a place in the squad.

Middlesbrough had not won in their previous six Championship outings and were again without two of their most influential players through injury, in midfielder – and one-time Forest transfer target – Barry Robson and striker Scott McDonald, who has netted nine goals for Boro so far this season.

Adlene Guedioura, who had performed with promise in his two previous outings after joining on loan from Wolves, was again looking lively.

An early corner from the Algerian picked out Danny Higginbotham at the far post, but the defender sent a header looping a few feet over the bar.

Guedioura then angled a powerful free-kick into the box, following a foul on Ishmael Miller, which Wolves team-mate and fellow loan signing George Elokobi flicked on dangerously, to send the ball flying across the face of goal and wide of the post.

Lee Camp had to be alert when Scott Wootton, again playing at right-back, seemed to misjudge the flight of a long ball down the left, allowing Marvin Emnes to scamper hopefully through the middle, only for the keeper to just beat him to possession.

The home side were enjoying the longer spells of possession, but without really being able to carve out a chance of meaningful note in the opening 20 minutes, with Jutkiewicz flashing a low, bobbling shot well wide of the target to provide the only break in a scrappy period of play.

Miller, who is understood still to be a transfer target for Boro, was at the centre of a promising break for Forest, flashing a low ball across the face of goal that was cut out before it could reach strike partner Harewood.

Miller could have scored when a clever back heel from Harewood sent him racing clear, but he was just beaten to the ball by the alert keeper Jason Steele, who threw himself into a brave challenge at his feet.

Wootton had to produce a vital, perfectly-timed sliding block after Arca let fly in the Forest penalty area and Forest broke quickly through McCleary, who caused chaos in the home box with a fizzing ball towards the far post.

And, seconds later, when Elokobi bent another cross in from the left, as Forest retained a spell of pressure, Miller should have found the net, but sent a free header at Steele.

McCleary rode three challenges to carry the ball out of his own area before feeding Chris Gunter down the right flank, where the Welsh international clipped the ball across the penalty area and was inches away from picking out Harewood, as Forest continued to look a considerable threat on the counter-attack.

But it was the home side who were to take the lead in injury time as Emnes beat Camp at his near post, although it did look as though his shot had taken a deflection off Moussi to deceive the keeper – while Forest had already been distracted as Miller went down injured as Boro built their attack.

It was obvious that the striker would not be able to continue, but Forest did not have time to bring on Robbie Findley before referee Paul Tierney blew the half-time whistle.

Forest did not deserve to be behind at the interval, but that has been the story of their season too often. Boro were in no mood for sympathy and, barely a minute into the second half, Jutkiewicz made it 2-0.

The striker had tormented Forest when he was still a Coventry player earlier this season, netting the only goal in a 1-0 win for the Sky Blues in the West Midlands.

And he returned to haunt them again as he turned Higginbotham on the edge of the box and rifled a shot beyond Camp and inside the post.

Forest had not had time to settle into their new formation, which saw Lynch slot into a central defensive trio, with Gunter and Elokobi playing as wing-backs and Wootton pushing into a defensive midfield role.

Findley almost carved out a chance when he ran half the length of the pitch before squaring the ball towards McCleary, with Seb Hines making an important interception.

Forest made a third change with Andy Reid coming on for Wootton. And there was even time for a Valentine's love-in as Elokobi gave keeper Steele a lingering hug after clattering into him with a rugged aerial challenge.

Reid was quick to have an impact as he bent a free-kick towards the near post, from wide on the right, giving Lynch the chance to flick a header right across goal and into the net off the far post.

With 66 minutes gone, it gave Forest hope – and a little belief – that they might yet return home with something.

Forest were piling on the pressure, with another Reid flag kick giving Elokobi the chance to turn and shoot with an effort that was deflected over the bar.

When Kevin Thomson slid in with a late tackle on Guedioura, it proved to be a pivotal moment as the defender had already been booked, for a foul on Gunter, and was subsequently shown a red card, to reduce the home side to ten men in the 75th minute.

Guedioura almost netted a spectacular leveller when he smashed a rising shot at the crossbar from 30 yards, with keeper Steele looking on helpless.

Then Reid lifted a speculative volley wide of the target, when the ball dropped for him just inside the box.

But Forest could not find the breakthrough they desperately craved, despite five minutes of injury time, as they suffered another painful defeat.

Middlesbrough: Steele, Hoyte, Bennett, Bates, Thomson, Emnes (McMahon 77), Williams, Hines, Arca, Jutkiewicz (Main 80), Haroun (Smallwood 55). Subs: Obeche, Halliday.

Forest: Camp, Wootton (Reid 60), Chambers, Higginbotham, Elokobi, Gunter, Moussi, Guedioura, McCleary, Miller (Findley 45), Harewood (Lynch 45). Subs: Smith, Blackstock.

Referee: Paul Tierney.

Attendance: 14,799 (462 away).