After the famine, came the feast for Nottingham Forest.

Following more than ten hours and seven matches without a goal, Steve Cotterill's side found their accuracy in emphatic fashion to kick-start 2012 with not just three goals, but also what could prove to be a vital three points.

Marcus Tudgay not only ended a run of 635 minutes without Forest managing to find the back of the net, but also added a late second to kill off any hopes of an Ipswich comeback, after Grant Leadbitter had made it 2-1 from the penalty spot.

A spectacular strike from Garath McCleary had ensured Forest went into half-time with a 2-0 lead, following 45 minutes in which both sides had carved out numerous chances.

But it was perhaps fate that, after 635 minutes without a goal, it would be Tudgay who finally ended the Forest famine.

The striker was the last Reds player to find the back of the net, ironically against Ipswich, at the City Ground.

And it was Tudgay again who was to provide the decisive touch again, much to the relief of the 800 fans who had made the journey east.

The striker had already spurned one opportunity, lifting a shot over the bar when he might have expected to do better, from just inside the box.

But there was no sense of panic or uncertainty when a simple but intelligent pass from Andy Reid sent him skipping through for a second time, less than a minute later.

Tudgay took a touch to take the ball into his stride before, with a sweep of his right boot, steered an emphatic finish beyond the advancing Arran Lee-Barrett and inside the far post.

And, after going so long without a goal, Forest might have had a second within two minutes as Garath McCleary cut in from the right and weaved through two challenges, before squaring across the face of the box to Lewis McGugan, who, after turning sharply, then failed to connect with a shot, leaving Lee-Barrett with a straight-forward save.

Cotterill had switched back to the 4-2-3-1 approach that had looked so fluid and threatening at Brighton, while restoring the previously out of favour George Boateng to the side.

The Dutchman had struggled to make it into the squad in recent months, but was brought into the starting line-up, alongside Jonathan Greening, as one of two holding midfielders.

Reid was the second of two changes, with the experienced midfielder in for striker Matt Derbyshire, while Guy Moussi was pushed back from his midfield role into central defence, in place of the suspended Joel Lynch.

And, while Ipswich were not without attacking menace in the opening 20 minutes, Forest settled quickly into the game.

Daryl Murphy twice flashed shots across the face of goal and narrowly wide, after being given the room to try his luck on the edge of the box.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas could have done better with a header that he sent directly into the arms of the grateful keeper, who also had to slide in bravely at the feet of Lee Bowyer, when the wily midfielder looked to have broken clear.

But another veteran, Boateng, also came close to scoring, as he let fly with a low, skimming 25-yard shot that the Ipswich keeper needed two attempts to hold, as Tudgay briefly threatened to pounce on the loose ball.

Forest's confidence was clearly fully restored however as, in the 26th minute, they netted an outstanding second.

Reid was again at the heart of things as he sent McCleary running at the Ipswich defence – but the winger completed the rest of the job in dramatic fashion.

Damien Delaney was left flat footed by a swift step-over from McCleary, who surged into the box before unleashing an unstoppable shot that flew high into the net.

And, two minutes later, McGugan was inches away from claiming a third, as he let fly with a spectacular, dipping shot that dropped inches over the bar.

While the Forest fans were in joyous mood the rest of Portman Road were voicing their discontent.

The Reds did have a lucky escape in the 37th minute when Murphy spurned a free header, six yards out, that he sent straight at the keeper.

Ipswich's luck got worse when having seen a brutal shot from Emmanuel-Thomas thunder down off the underside of the bar, Bowyer failed to properly connect with the follow up, when he had the goal at his mercy.

Bowyer's afternoon took a turn for the worse when he then limped off injured, to be replaced by striker Michael Chopra as Ipswich took a more attacking outlook as half-time approached.

Reid had an opportunity to increase Ipswich's misery from the edge of the box, but Lee-Barrett read his attempted lob well, as the first half came to a dramatic close.

The second half almost began in spectacular fashion as well, when a Reid corner picked out Tudgay, who forced an outstanding save with a flicked header.

McCleary then turned provider, dancing into the area from the right before cutting the ball to Reid, who saw his placed shot blocked, with McGugan lashing just wide when he collected the rebound.

Forest were enjoying a spell of pressure, with Tudgay then denied as Delaney made a vital block on the line.

Ipswich were ensuring that Forest were not cruising to a comfortable win, as they continued to craft opportunities, with substitute Nathan Ellington heading narrowly wide.

And, in the 75th minute, the home side did give themselves a significant ray of hope, as Forest conceded a penalty.

Boateng attempted to challenge Emmanuel-Thomas as he darted into the box, with the striker tumbling to the turf. Ipswich skipper Grant Leadbitter hammered a powerful spot-kick against the foot of the post, but the ball span over the line.

Before Forest had the chance to feel too many nerves, they restored their advantage with a well crafted goal on the counter-attack.

Boateng carried the ball out of defence, fed McGugan on the left flank where he, in turn, cut the ball back to Reid. The Irishman then delivered a pin-point cross into the centre, where Tudgay was on hand to glance a precision header inside the post.

The win was not enough to lift Forest out of the relegation zone, but it was a performance that suggested they are at least equipped to mount a solid fight against the drop.

Match facts

Ipswich: Lee-Barrett, Cresswell, Ingimarsson, Delaney, Leadbitter, Edwards, Bowyer (Chopra 42), Emmanuel-Thomas, Martin (Ellington 70), Drury, Murphy (Carson 65). Subs: Wright, Ainsley.

Forest: Camp, Gunter, Chambers, Moussi, Cunningham, Greening, Boateng, McCleary (Derbyshire 82), McGugan, Reid (Bamford 93), Tudgay. Subs: Smith, Derbyshire, Majewski, Meadows.

Referee: Carl Boyeson.

Attendance: 18,964 (800 away)

Goals: I Leadbitter (pen 75) F Tudgay 5, 78 McCleary 26

Shots on I 10 F 9

Shots off I 9 F 9

Corners: I 5 F 5

Offsides I 2 F 2

Fouls I 10 F 16

Bookings: I Leadbitter (foul 92) F None

Man of match: Andy Reid. While Marcus Tudgay provided two vital goals and ended Forest's famine, it was Reid who was the main catalyst for much of the Reds' attacking play.