Newcastle United fans partied into the night on the Trent as Alexander Isak kept Champions League dreams alive in the 93rd minute.
The Sweden international was simply sensational at the City Ground and his double put the Magpies just one point behind Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and those coveted top four spots. Although the night could have been very different after a first half error from Sven Botman handed Emmanuel Dennis the chance to put the home side in the lead.
But Newcastle not only bounced back from that difficult moment they also responded in true professional manner after Elliot Anderson's goal was chalked off in the second half. Thanks to Isak's equaliser and nerves of steel in stoppage time they made it two wins out of two.
READ MORE: Nottingham Forest 1-2 Newcastle highlights
The game started at a ferocious pace and there were just two minutes played when Fabian Schar was upended by Andre Ayew near the halfway line. Schar received lengthy treatment and successfully attempted to run off the knock.
When play resumed Allan Saint-Maximin put in a low left-footed cross which on loan Paris St-Germain stopper Keylor Navas gathered comfortably. On five minutes Jacob Murphy put in a precise ball into the box from the right but Joe Willock struck horribly wide from close range and should have put Newcastle ahead.
Willock then won a free-kick 35 yards from goal for the Magpies which Kieran Trippier floated in, but it would only prove to be an easy claim for Navas. Former Toon star Jonjo Shelvey tripped Bruno Guimaraes on 11 minutes to hand Newcastle another opportunity from a free-kick.
Trippier caught Forest by surprise with a low free-kick in for Alexander Isak who struck it at goal before Renan Lodi hacked it against his own crossbar in desperation and Forest cleared the danger. Forest's first real chance of the night came on 18 minutes when a good move into the Newcastle half ended with Brennan Johnson's swerving effort warming the hands of Nick Pope for the first time.
United then won a free-kick when Emannuel Dennis clipped Trippier's ankle and the forward was booked for his trouble. Trippier tossed in the resultant set-piece but it was cleared by the home side.
It was a gift-wrapped moment from Newcastle to hand Forest the lead with 26 minutes on the clock. It looked like a routine situation for Sven Botman to simply prod back to Pope to clear.
But Botman seemed to lose his bearings and the subsequent panic drew Pope off his line before Dennis kept his cool and gently dinked it into the net with the ball floating over Botman, Pope and Trippier on the line. Seven minutes after the goal Dan Burn was issued with a caution after arguing over a hotly disputed decision that he'd touched it last for a Forest throw-in.
There were 10 minutes left before the break when the ball was pulled back to Sean Longstaff and his shot was deflected on to the crossbar for a second time with Felipe's sliding tackle seeing it clatter the frame of the goal.
Longstaff had another go on 38 minutes but this time his effort flew over the bar. Newcastle appeared to be pondering tactical changes six minutes before the break with Callum Wilson in deep conversation with the coaches.
But in first half stoppage time a good cross from Willock on the right fell for Isak who - despite the ball being behind him - volleyed majestically into the bottom corner and off the base of the post to level the game up. And that's how it stayed at the interval although having struck the bar twice and edged possession the Magpies should have been in ahead.
Newcastle made a change at half-time as youngster Elliot Anderson came on for Saint-Maximin. It took Anderson a couple of minutes to get into the action, first powering through before being dispossessed then moments later producing a stunning volley which Navas parried over the bar on 48 minutes.
It was a superb cross from Murphy for Anderson and the Geordie youngster could barely have struck it any sweeter but the ex-Real Madrid goalie made a fine save. Forest responded with a break down the right with Dennis striking the ball off a Newcastle defender for a corner kick.
Shelvey again threatened for the newly promoted side when he twice swung his right boot at Pope's goal with the second attempt going just wide of the post. Murphy was in fine form and he slipped a pass to Bruno on the hour but his shot was palmed away by Navas.
The resultant corner saw the ball drop to Anderson again but he fired over the bar this time and Forest survived another spell of pressure. There was true controversy on 65 minutes when Isak crossed for Anderson to nod down and beat Navas before sprinting to the fans to celebrate.
But after a VAR check and a monitor check from Tierney, the goal was deemed offside with Longstaff identified as the player who caused it to be chalked off. That was a moment which lifted the City Ground but it did not deter Anderson.
A Bruno run down the left on 71 minutes saw him find Anderson with his run and shot deflected away from danger in the six-yard area. Anderson then headed the ball down from the left for Murphy but he sent an effort wide from close range.
Forest made two late changes when Sam Surridge and Neco Williams replaced Ayew and Dennis. Howe turned to 33-year-old Matt Ritchie for his next tactical switch with Murphy going off.
With four minutes left Shelvey's ball over the top found Johnson who beat Burn in a foot race and got his shot away but Pope came to the rescue. Yet the game would be settled in stoppage time
Willock's cross was handled by Moussa Niakhate in the box with ref Tierney pointing straight to the spot. For a few moments it looked like Trippier was taking on the responsibility.
But the night's main man Isak then took the ball off him before poising himself and slamming the ball past Navas who could not get near it. This sparked wild celebrations in the away end as United closed in a massive victory in the East Midlands.
That Champions League dream is still alive and kicking going into the international break. And how the Toon Army savoured every second of their win.
Referee: Paul Tierney
Attendance: 29,362
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