A spectacular injury time strike from Ben Osborn helped Nottingham Forest claw their way back from behind and claim a dramatic 2-1 win at Derby County, to take some of the pressure off under fire boss Stuart Pearce.
The midfielder carried the ball into the Rams penalty area, before firing an unstoppable shot into the back of the net to send the travelling fans into raptures at the iPro Stadium.
Derby had taken an early lead through an own goal from Henri Lansbury and looked to be in charge at half time.
But Pearce's side fought back after the break, with Britt Assombalonga's close range finish drawing the Reds level in the 75th minute.
But there was more drama to come as Osborn netted a superb solo effort to earn Forest the bragging rights and, equally, to give Pearce a much needed win.
Forest made three changes to the team that had performed so poorly against Sheffield Wednesday last weekend, with Pearce naming a strong looking starting XI.
Lansbury returned from suspension to take a place in midfield, while loan signing Gary Gardner also made his full debut in the centre of the pitch, after coming off the bench last weekend. David Vaughan and Chris Burke dropped to the bench.
The final change came in defence where the more experienced Kelvin Wilson took the place of Jamaal Lascelles alongside Jack Hobbs, in the centre of the back four.
It was a nervous, scrappy start to the game, with both sides taking their time to settle in. Forest had a couple of threatening moments down the right side with Robert Tesche, playing in a more advanced role, skipping into space down the flank, before forcing a corner with a dangerous low cross.
When Osborn delivered towards the far post, Forest felt Michail Antonio had been pulled to the ground by Jake Buxton, but referee Andy Madley did not agree.
Antonio then tested Lee Grant with a low shot from the edge of the box but, in truth, the winger's effort always lacked the power to trouble the Derby keeper at his near post.
Derby's only real effort of the opening ten minutes saw Omar Mascarell fire wide of the post from 20 yards, as the Reds defence failed to close down. But, following some neat footwork on the edge of the box in the 14th minute, Wilson had to produce an important, potentially goal saving, block after Craig Bryson had connected with a shot from 12 yards.
The game's opening goal came in the 16th minute and, in many ways, summed up Forest's fortunes in recent months. After seeing a penalty claim turned down at one end, they then netted an own goal.
When Russell delivered from the Derby right, Wilson seemed to get the slightest of touches at the near post, which deceived Lansbury – with the midfielder steering the ball into the net at the near post, with a header that he did not seem to know a great deal about.
The visitors then had to ride out a storm of pressure, with Derby winning a flurry of four further corners, as they looked to extend their advantage. De Vries had to make an outstanding save, flicking the ball over his bar, when Jamie Ward connected crisply with a powerful shot from the edge of the box.
The Derby winger was booked, however, when fouling de Vries a few minutes later, blocking the keeper's attempts to throw the ball out quickly, in clumsy fashion.
Wilson was the first Forest player to be booked, following a tussle with Martin, in which the Derby striker appeared to be giving as good as he got.
When Hobbs stayed pushed forward following a corner, Assombalonga's lay off presented him with a shooting chance from 20-yards, but the defender's effort bounced wide.
Lansbury was having a tough time in midfield, perhaps having had his confidence dented by the own goal. A poor pass from him set up a Derby quick break, with Lichaj doing well to stamp out the threat with an important interception.
Derby almost made it 2-0 as half time approached, with Will Hughes lashing a spectacular effort just the wrong side of the post from 20 yards.
Forest's best chance came when Antonio delivered a dangerous ball to the near post, but Buxton bravely threw himself at the ball ahead of Assombalonga, to deny the striker a chance.
The £5.5m front man did almost make his mark as half time approached however, shaking off his marker with a neat turn before letting fly with a 22-yard, dipping shot that was only marginally off target.
Derby made a change at half time with Hughes replaced by Jeff Hendrick. The second period began in the same manner as the first, with both sides struggling to force any spells of dominance.
A Tesche shot did force a corner for the Reds in the 57th minute, which almost saw the visitors make the breakthrough they craved. Grant flapped at Osborn's cross, allowing the ball to run through to Antonio on the far side. But the winger twice saw his shots charged down, with Mascerell's block from his second effort particularly important.
Antonio then somehow managed to bundle the ball through to Tesche, when he was being fouled on the edge of the box, but Buxton got a foot in to steer the ball back to his keeper. Forest were building a little pressure with Derby, for the first time, looking a little tentative.
But Forest were still finding clear chances hard to come by, with Antonio narrowly failing to make contact with a Lichaj cross to the far post, following good work from Osborn.
Forest came close when Osborn cut into the box from the right and let fly with a shot, which was carried wide of the post by a deflection.
The Reds continued to look a threat from set pieces, with a dangerous melee eventually seeing the ball fall to Wilson, but the defender's shot was pounced on by Grant, as he failed to muster sufficient power to beat the keeper.
It was not a huge surprise when Forest finally did manage to make the breakthrough, when the Derby defence failed to deal with a delivery from the flank, with Hobbs seeming to get an important touch, the ball bounced through to Assombalonga and the striker showed his finishing touch at a vital time, turning and squeezing a shot beyond Grant and into the back of the net, from a few yards out.
Forest brought on Stephen McLaughlin for the tiring Antonio, who had worked hard throughout, in the 81st minute and the Irishman did deliver a testing ball into the box, as the Reds looked for another opening before Osborn lashed in a superb stoppage time winner after a great run, sparking wild celebrations from Pearce.
Derby: Grant, Christie, Forsyth, Bryson, Buxton, Keogh, Martin, Ward (Bent 75), Russell, Hughes (Hendrick 45), Mascarell. Subs: Roos, Naylor, Bennett, Calero, Shotton.
Forest: de Vries, Kane, Hobbs, Wilson, Lichaj, Antonio (McLaughlin 81), Gardner, Tesche, Osborn, Lansbury, Assombalonga. Subs: Darlow, Veldwijk, Lascelles, Paterson, Vaughan, Burke.
Referee: Andy Madley
Attendance: 32,705 (2000 away approx)
Goals: D Lansbury OG 16 F Assombalonga 75, Osborn 92
