FOR Forest fans, the start to this match was the stuff dreams are made of. But by the end, it had become an unmitigated nightmare and a reminder that, for the next few months, they face a very real fight for survival.

Prior to kick off, this was regarded as a fixture packed with history, intrigue and a host of characters who had switched allegiances, with managers and players moving from one camp to the other.

Come the final whistle, it was a game that was packed with sufficient drama in its own right without having to dredge up the past.

History was initially irrelevant for Forest as they suddenly found themselves looking to a future in which a tantalising fifth-round tie against Manchester United suddenly seemed in touching distance.

The Derby fans had barely had time to warm their seats before the home side had swept into a 2-0 lead

But it proved to be a false dawn as Forest's youthful naivety and worrying lack of depth was cruelly exposed.

It was always feared it would be Kris Commons who would return to the City Ground to fire the winning goal for Derby.

But, from Forest's perspective, the underlying plot was less about returning heroes cast as villains, and more about telling a story of a failure to beat the odds.

It would, on the face of things, be daft to cast Forest in the role of underdogs in a match in which they faced a side below them in the Championship standings.

But a quick glance at the two benches suggested a clash between two clubs in very different positions.

While Derby had a bench of players that could boast hundreds of professional performances and millions of pounds in transfer fees between them, Forest had only one player who had even started a league game among their seven substitutes, in Joe Heath.

And that proved to be a decisive factor. Because while it may have been a player who was allowed to leave the City Ground who provided the game's decisive moment, this was a defeat that highlighted the void left by the failure to bring in adequate bodies over the summer.

In the end, manager Billy Davies was right to insist he was proud of his players' character and determination; qualities that were almost enough to secure a memorable win over his former club.

With the exception of a goalkeeper, Forest could have fielded an entire team from the players they had injured, suspended or cup-tied last night.

But still, on another day, they could have done enough to claim victory.

It took precisely 59 seconds before Chris Cohen transformed the already raucous atmosphere into a maelstrom of noise as he rifled Forest emphatically into the lead, as a short corner routine sent him striding across the face of the box and into enough space to strike a rising left-foot shot high into the net.

Nathan Tyson had come perilously close to connecting with a through ball from Lewis McGugan, as the ball skimmed tantalisingly off the turf while McGugan sent a spectacular volley fizzing straight down the throat of the keeper, after catching a high dropping ball from Matt Thornhill perfectly.

But, after Thornhill had flicked an improvised header agonisingly wide, Tyson was sent clear for a second time, this time picked out by Cohen.

The striker was always going to win the race to the ball with Stephen Bywater and the keeper's lunging challenge sent him sprawling to the turf.

The Derby stopper escaped with a booking, but did suffer further punishment as Tyson brushed himself down before sending a composed spot-kick high to the keeper's right, directly in front of the now silenced travelling support.

But, before Forest had time to feel comfortable in their advantage, Derby stepped up a gear.

Commons, who had faced a barrage of abuse from the Forest fans who once idolised him, almost silenced his critics as his poise and balance saw him create room for a crisp shot that had Paul Smith at full stretch to palm away.

Derby pushed again and were rewarded with a neatly crafted goal as Rob Hulse again found the back of the net against Forest. He rose to plant a firm downward header low into the corner from Gary Teale's cross.

Referee Chris Foy, who had shown no hesitation in awarding Forest's early penalty, was equally decisive when Lewis McGugan went down amid a melee of Derby players.

But, while Forest fans initially thought they had been awarded a second spot kick, their joy was short-lived as the referee booked the midfielder for diving.

Forest started the second half as they had the first, although Cohen was this time denied by Bywater, as he plunged dramatically to his left to push a low, skimming drive around the foot of the post.

But it was Derby who began to sense that it would be they who earned a second chance to face the European and Premiership champions in Cup action – after losing to them in the semi-final of the Carling Cup.

Teale was again the key figure, wrapping his left foot around an enticing, out-swinging cross to the edge of the six-yard box where Paul Green jumped to head a powerful finish into the net.

A resurgent Derby saw a Commons shot swirl inches wide after taking a deflection.

But Forest should have retaken the lead after more good work from Tyson, as he surged down the left forcing Paul Connolly onto the back foot, before squaring the ball across the box to Garath McCleary, who was thwarted as Bywater closed the angle to block his shot.

Forest suffered a blow as skipper James Perch was added to the already extensive injury list, suffering concussion after a clash of heads with Hulse.

But it was to become worse, as Derby's fightback was completed in spectacular fashion, through the boot of an all too familiar face.

With Perch having been lost from his holding midfield role, Commons suddenly found himself with acres of space as he dropped deep.

And, after smashing one breath-taking drive against the foot of the post from 25 yards, the Derby man had clearly found his range as, two minutes later, from an identical position, he hammered a shot that, with the aid of a cruel deflection off Luke Chambers, swirled inside the post to spark off frenzied celebrations.

Wes Morgan planted a header over and Mark Byrne, one of the young substitutes, could have made a name for himself in injury time, but prodded wide with Bywater's goal exposed for a split second.

In the end, it was Nigel Clough and Commons who departed the City Ground as heroes, at least in the eyes of the Derby supporters.

But Forest can console themselves with the knowledge that, if they perform with the same level of guts and gusto for the rest of the Championship season, then they have a good chance of survival.

However, with the squad as depleted as it is, they are qualities they will not be able to manage without.