Nottm Forest 2-1 Preston

Two goals from Robert Earnshaw helped Nottingham Forest to victory and gave their survival hopes a huge boost against promotion-chasing Preston.

The Wales international striker opened the scoring after the break with a header at the back post.

Jon Parkin equalised for the visitors, thumping in a Ross Wallace corner.

The winner came as a result of a poor backpass from Andrew Davies to Andy Lonergan which bounced off the keeper's toes to a grateful Earnshaw.

Nottingham Forest assistant boss David Kelly:
"It was a really pleasing win.

Having gone and got a good win at Reading at the weekend it was important that we tried to back it up and I thought we were value for victory.

"Preston are a good team and Alan Irvine has done a good job with them, but it's still only three points and we must take this form on."

Preston manager Alan Irvine:
"I'm very disappointed, exasperated and angry. I don't think I can use many more words than that.

"It was a game we should not have lost and we lost it from two very poor pieces of defending.

"If it wasn't for that, which was out of character for us, we would have got a good result here."

Nottm Forest: Smith, Chambers, Morgan, Wilson, Lynch (Heath 87), Anderson, McGugan (Thornhill 90), Osbourne, Cohen, McCleary, Earnshaw (Breckin 90).
Subs Not Used: Gamble, Garner.

Booked: Chambers, McCleary.

Goals: Earnshaw 58, 71.

Preston: Lonergan, Jones, Davies, St. Ledger, Davidson, Whaley, Nicholson (Elliott 73), McKenna, Chaplow (Carter 51), Wallace, Parkin (Brown 71).
Subs Not Used: Neal, Nolan.

Goals: Parkin 63.

Att: 17,568

Ref: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).