PRIOR to kick-off, two of the Sheffield Steelers ice hockey players were paraded around the Bramall Lane pitch like heroes as the PA announcer proudly told how they had gone to the Nottingham Panthers' 'backyard' and emerged victorious in the play-off finals.

With deep stands positioned right on the edge of the pitch, a looming roofline and some of the most passionate and vocal fans in the county, it is easy to see why few clubs escape Bramall Lane with a share of the spoils.

But, while the home of Sheffield United may be an intimidating place, what Nottingham Forest achieved in Yorkshire yesterday was, in many ways, even more impressive than the recent feats of the steel city's ice hockey team.

Not just because the Blades went into the match as the Championship's form team, on the back of a run of five consecutive victories, as they seek to secure a place in the Premiership.

But because, for 75 minutes of this 0-0 draw, Forest were playing with ten men.

Yet they still left Sheffield's back yard with not just another valuable point towards their survival bid, but also buoyed by another performance that suggested they are equipped, mentally and physically, with the qualities needed to escape the bottom three.

There may not have been all the goalmouth action that an ice hockey match normally generates, but there were other similarities, amid a bruising, blood and thunder encounter.

Billy Davies had warned that his side would face a battle and he was not wrong.

But even the manager would not have anticipated exactly the size of the challenge, as they found themselves reduced to ten men after only 15 minutes.

Greg Halford plunged dramatically to the floor, following the slightest of contacts, after going forehead to forehead with Kelvin Wilson.

Unfortunately for the Forest man, unlike ice-hockey, fighting is frowned upon in football and his reward was a seat in the stands, rather than the sin-bin.

Fortunately for Forest, the remaining ten men on the pitch implemented the warrior spirit in a more positive manner, producing a prodigious work-rate that ensured United found it tough to make the most of their numerical advantage.

Ian Breckin was recalled to the side as part of five changes that – albeit forced in part by injuries to Robert Earnshaw and Iain Taylor – gave Forest's team a more solid look about it.

Forest's team selection was engineered to cope with the aerial approach favoured by Kevin Blackwell's side.

And, even in the final stages when United had four strikers on the pitch in comparison to Forest's none, it worked perfectly, as the back four comprising – after Wilson had been dismissed – of Luke Chambers, Wes Morgan, Breckin and Chris Gunter performed imperiously.

Breckin provided one of the most decisive moments of the first half as he slid in with a goal-saving tackle to prevent Jamie Ward connecting with a ball whipped across the face of goal by strike-partner Darius Henderson.

Forest's most dangerous moment was a low, fizzing shot by Gunter – who had started the match on the right wing – that was deflected around the foot of the post for a corner.

But, at the same time, Paul Smith had only one meaningful save to make before the interval – albeit a smart, reaction stop at his near post after an un-marked Henderson connected with a header.

It was no surprise that Davies waited pointedly by the mouth of the tunnel to speak to referee Michael Jones after he had blown the half-time whistle, following a period in which they had conceded only five fouls but saw Breckin and Chris Cohen booked, as well as Wilson red carded.

Defender Morgan had his name added to Jones' notebook a few minutes into the second half after failing to hear that the referee had blown for a foul and sprinting up the pitch with the ball.

And Smith's reactions were tested again as he raced off his line to kick clear when Henderson threatened to latch onto a through ball.

Forest had a moment of menace of their own as Gunter rampaged down the left and into the box before squaring to Joe Garner, who fired wildly over.

But, while Henderson forced an adept save from Smith with a deflected free kick and saw another, fizzing effort fly narrowly wide, the goal never seemed likely to come, even when the fourth official's board indicated an extra five minutes of injury time.

When the final whistle finally came, it was the Forest fans who greeted it with a huge roar of approval, as Billy Davies strode across the pitch towards them punching the air.

But then, to Forest, this felt like a victory. At the very least, it was a titanic battle won.

The only injustice was that, despite a respectable haul of four points the bank holiday, Forest were still sucked back into the bottom three by virtue of Norwich's 2-0 win over Watford.

But, if they can show the same spirit in the remaining three games, then they may not be in that position for long.