BILLY Sharp's injury time strike ensured Alex McLeish's Nottingham Forest tenure did not start with a defeat, as the Reds twice came back from behind to draw 2-2 with Palace.
Forest left it late to secure a point, with Sharp prodding home in the 93rd minute to break Palace's resolve.
Glenn Murray took his tally for the season to 22, as he twice struck to put the visitors ahead, firstly in the ninth minute and then again with nine minutes to play, after Andy Reid had conjured up a wonder goal to pull Forest level on the stroke of half time.
The point was no more than Forest had deserved, following an encouraging first display under the new manager, who was appointed this week following the Boxing Day departure of Sean O'Driscoll.
There was one change to the Forest team, which was selected by first team coaches Rob Kelly and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. That was enforced by an illness picked up by Alan Hutton, who was replaced in the side by Dan Harding, with Greg Halford moving across to right back.
New manager McLeish had admitted he had hoped Forest would be able to name an unchanged side following the 4-2 win over Leeds – but he will still have been pining for a similar performance level against Palace.
There was no place in the squad for Daniel Ayala, who was available again after sitting out his one match ban for his farcical sending off at Watford, with Brendan Moloney providing the defensive cover on the bench.
The pitch looked to be playing well, considering the rain that had fallen on it – and Forest started brightly with some slick passing on a surface that had plenty of zip.
Andy Reid picked out a brilliant ball for Dexter Blackstock, as he peeled off to the far post, nut the striker's knockdown for Billy Sharp was cleared, desperately, but effectively, by the Palace defence.
Wilfried Zaha, the winger who is said to be a January target for several Premier League clubs, was always going to be a big threat for Palace. But, when he ran at Dan Harding for the first time, the defender did exceptionally well, sliding in with a well timed challenge and deflecting the ball off Zaha for a goal kick.
But, while Forest had been on top in the opening exchanges, it was to be Palace who scored with their first meaningful attack, in the ninth minute.
Dean Moxey had pushed forward down the left and found himself with a chance to deliver from the edge of the box, firing a low cross to the far post where Glenn Murray was arriving to prod home his 21st goal of the season from close range.
The goal was another sign that one of McLeish's first priorities must be to iron out the defensive fragility that has dogged Forest in recent weeks
The Reds prodded and probed for an equaliser in the 14th minute as, following a quick passing move, Sharp found himself with a shooting chance from 12 yards and forced a good save from Julian Speroni, who plunged low to his right.
Forest were denied a corner at one end of the pitch, when Speroni clearly seemed to have punched the ball out – and Palace went straight down the other end of the pitch to win one themselves. Fortunately, Danny Collins was able to clear the danger with a strong header.
Kagisho Dikgacoi came close to putting Palace two ahead with a brilliant, dipping shot that took a slight deflection to steer it inches the wrong side of the post.
There was tension in the Forest crowd as their side failed to get into their stride – but the fans were brought to their feet when the home side almost pulled themselves level.
Sharp, in fact, was unlucky not to score as he attacked a superb cross from Majewski, but saw his header cannon back off the foot of the post, with the keeper well beaten.
Suddenly, Forest seemed to have found some urgency, with Majewski combining with Chris Cohen to give the midfielder the chance to loft another good ball into the box, with Danny Gabbidon producing an important clearing header.
Harding, who had been handling the threat of Zaha very well, then got forward himself to cross from the left, but he could not pick out a Forest player.
Halford was booked for a run of the mill foul, but referee Haywood completely missed an elbow on Adlene Guedioura in the centre of the pitch, which left the Algerian needing extensive treatment – and Halford in a fury as he protested angrily to the referee and fourth official.
Reid then produced a brilliant individual run, twisting and turning the Palace defence, before delivering into the centre where Blackstock almost connected.
The Irish midfielder then bent a dangerous free kick against the defensive wall, as Forest began to build a little pressure.
Cohen then darted into the box from the opposite flank and drove a low ball into the centre to force another in a flurry of corners for the home side. Guedioura got a little carried away when he let fly with a shot from all of 45 yards that was always flying high and wide.
Forest were becoming frustrated with referee Haywood, who failed to show a yellow card to Jedinak after he had hacked down Cohen, to thwart a dangerous Forest attack.
But their pressure was finally to tell when Reid, who had been looking full of confidence, conjured up an outstanding equaliser. The winger picked up possession just outside the box, on the left side, following good work from Cohen, and lashed an unstoppable shot back across goal and inside the far post, with Speroni helpless.
Forest's confidence was suddenly through the roof and, had half time not saved Palace, it looked for all the world as though they would quickly have added another, as they launched attack after attack.
Palace had a dangerous attack immediately from the kick-off of the second half, with Camp having to pounce on a cross from Jonathan Parr.
But Majewski and Reid were quick to combine at the other end, to give Reid the chance to deliver yet another teasing cross into the danger zone.
Cohen, not to be outdone by Reid on the left, then cut onto his left foot on the right and let fly with a spectacular, swerving shot, the quality of which was matched by the save from Speroni, who blocked in acrobatic fashion at his near post, when a goal seemed certain.
Sharp was then booked after barging into Parr on the touchline, although it looked to be a harsh decision that might have been motivated to some degree by the angry reaction of Palace boss Ian Holloway.
Forest were building momentum again and, when Reid floated a ball into the centre for Blackstock, the striker beat Speroni to it, only for his header to elude Majewski by a matter of inches in the centre, when the Pole would have been able to slot the ball into an empty net.
Jedinak, who should have been booked in the first half, was finally shown a yellow card when he clumsily brought down Sharp from behind.
Majewski's curling centre was perfect for Sharp, who controlled brilliantly on his chest, but saw his shot charged down.
It was to be the last contribution from the Pole, who was replaced by Lewis McGugan in the 64th minute.
Skipper Danny Collins forced another fine save from Speroni with a flicked header – although the effort would have been ruled out for offside, had it gone in.
Reid carved out another chance with a cross from the left, with Blackstock heading narrowly over the bar at the far post.
Forest suffered a nervous moment when Sharp, defending a Palace corner, flicked the ball dangerously close to the top corner of his own net. Cohen, who had put in a real shift, was replaced by Lansbury for the final 13 minutes.
But it was Palace who were to take the lead for a second time, through the in form Murray. Bolasie played the ball in from the right and, it found it's way to the striker at the far post, he sent a looping header back over Camp and into the far corner of the net.
McGugan threatened with a long range shot that took a deflection, while Halford too came close with a powerful, driven shot that had the fans behind the goal on their feet as it fizzed close.
Forest threw on Simon Cox in the 85th minute, as they went in search of a second equaliser and the striker won a corner with his first touch. Reid's ball to the far post found Ward, whose header was deflected over the bar.
McGugan came close to netting an outstanding solo goal, beating two on a mazy run into the box, before seeing his shot deflected into the side netting.
But there was to be late joy for the Reds, as Sharp pulled them level. A Blackstock flick put the striker in a dangerous position and, while Speroni did brilliantly to push his initially effort onto the post, Sharp reacted quickest to prod the ball into an empty net.
Forest: Camp, Halford, Ward, Collins, Harding, Guedioura (Cox 85), Cohen (Lansbury 77), Majewski (McGugan 64), Reid, Sharp, Blackstock. Subs: Darlow, Gillett, Moussi, Moloney.
Palace: Speroni, Parr, Bolasie (Garvan 84), Dikgacoi, Jedinak, Zaha (Easter 72), Murray, Moxey, Ramage, Moritz (Williams 72), Gabbidon. Subs: Martin, O'Keefe, Appiah, Fitzsimons.
Referee: Mark Haywood, West Yorkshire
Attendance: 23,703 (1,800 away)
