Burns: Forest showed their true potential

NOW that is more like it. It might have ended in a draw, it might have been just a point but like every Forest fan leaving the City Ground, for me, it felt like a win.

That second-half performance is how it should be.

Birmingham were second before this game, boasting internationals in their squad and players with a hat full of Premiership experience.

Forest were forced into six changes through injury, suspension and illness. It meant young Joe Heath had to come in at left back.

But they blew Birmingham away in the second half. They pulverised the Blues from start to finish of the second half.

By the end, Alex McLleish's men were just desperate to get off the pitch. They did not want it, but Forest got better by the second.

They got the ball down, they played football, and they carved out chance after chance.

Like I have called for all season, they exploited the left channel with Nathan Tyson getting the ball on the floor, in between the centre half and full back and his pace wreaked havoc.

That is how we want it.

There were negatives, like the sluggish start to the first half. And set pieces, against a gigantic Birmingham rearguard, were too often put on the head of the big men to clear. Why not whip corners in low and hard to the near post against such big defenders?

But the second half wiped all those out in what has to be the most impressive performance this season.

There was no gulf between the two sides in that last 45 minutes – Forest were the better team. The belief started to spread through the team and they have to maintain that now to pull out of the bottom three.

People talk about the Reds being a young fit team, which they are. And they produced a performance on Saturday that if they repeat week in, week out, will see them grow in stature and confidence – and get to safety.

In the end it could have been won, Nathan Tyson and Joe Garner spurning good chances. But let's not dwell on that.

Tyson caused big problems and he was oozing confidence by the end. Play to his strengths and he will hurt defences in this division.

And Garner, for me, is proving a great signing. Don't ask me why but he reminds me of a little Wayne Rooney.

He is tenacious, in your face. His attitude is a born winner, he takes no prisoners, takes no nonsense and is a defender's nightmare. He will rub them up the wrong way.

Had he already got a couple of goals to his name, I honestly believe he would have tucked his chance away at the end rather than smashing it at the goalkeeper.

But either way, positives have to be drawn from the weekend.

And I have to mention the fans, who were superb. They were magnificent and got behind the team completely in the second half, encouraging the players to do even better.

Their appreciation of the performance came with a standing ovation at the end and it was thoroughly deserved.

I was warmed, heartened and given belief by this performance. It is just a pity it did not get the three points it deserved.

But they move on to Bristol City on Saturday with more players back, a selection headache for Colin Calderwood.

However, after this performance they will all be buzzing and if they repeat that last 45 minutes for the whole game, keep it simple and play the ball into the danger areas for the likes of Tyson, it will really pay off.

Obviously they need to start winning games but unbeaten in three is a platform to build on.

There was little if anything between the two teams at the weekend. And remember, it was meant to be top versus bottom. After Saturday, I believe Forest have the performances within them to pull clear of trouble.

They just have to repeat it on a regular basis.