PRIOR to this game, Sean O'Driscoll had spoken of the fine margins that exist between success and failure in the Championship.
And the Nottingham Forest manager's nerves will have been frayed as he saw his point emphatically, dramatically proved in Blackpool.
Forest went from looking like cruising to a comfortable third successive win, to instead staring at defeat, before then completing an injury-time fightback of their own, courtesy of a goal from Dexter Blackstock, which helped them to snatch a point.
Another demonstration of Billy Sharp's finishing prowess had put Forest in charge on a night when, until the final quarter of the game, Blackpool failed to find top gear.
But then goals from Elliot Grandin and Gary Taylor-Fletcher in the 69th and 75th minutes helped Ian Holloway's side complete a turnaround that had rarely looked to be on the cards.
Fortunately for the Reds substitute Blackstock was to add another late twist of his own, as he pounced on a through ball from Andy Reid before slotting calmly home from close range to make it 2-2.
Forest's 2-1 success at Bloomfield Road last season was their only win in nine meetings with Blackpool, but they will have arrived in the north in confident mood.
Holloway's side had lost four of their previous five games, including their last two home games, against Huddersfield and Charlton, while Forest were looking to record three consecutive wins for the first time since May 2011.
Prior to kick-off Sean O'Driscoll had said he would consider making changes as his side headed into the second of a run of three games in seven days – but in the end he made only one alteration, which he was forced into.
That saw Radi Majewski, who had performed impressively after coming on for the second half of the 3-1 win over Cardiff City, replace Adlene Guedioura in midfield, with the Algerian international sitting out the first of his two match ban, following his second sending off of the campaign.
Majewski and the rest of the Forest midfield enjoyed plenty of possession in the first few minutes, as Forest made a confident start, passing the ball around purposefully on a pitch that had been heavily watered to leave it with a slick surface.
But it was Blackpool who were to carve out the first opportunity, as they almost profited from their first attack of the game, as Stephen Crainey sent an instant left-footed shot bouncing off the outside of the post.
The Reds did go close when a long throw from Greg Halford was only partially dealt with by Nottingham born Blackpool skipper Alex Baptiste, whose clearance fell to Andy Reid on the edge of the box. The Irishman let fly with a powerful shot which looked to be on target – until it unluckily hit Simon Cox and went out for a goal kick.
Forest were to draw first blood as a clever set-piece, a little good fortune and an outstanding finish from Sharp combined to carve out the first goal.
Sharp had been denied by a smart save from Matt Gilks, after he had ghosted through the centre. But Reid's clever delivery from the subsequent corner then found Halford on the edge of the box and, when he drove a shot into the area a deflection looped the ball up into the air, with Sharp providing an improvised finish with the outside of his right boot to send it arching high into the corner of the net.
Forest were playing with confidence and enjoyed a long spell of dominance – but could not quite carve out another clear cut chance. And, when Gomes led a swift counter, it ended with the Blackpool man flashing a shot across the face of goal and narrowly wide.
The Blackpool fans were giving referee Eddie Ilderton a torrid time, after a number of decisions went against them – and that might have been an influence when he flashed a harsh yellow card at Cohen when it was questionable whether his challenge on Crainey had even been a foul.
Forest, who had to replace the injured Ayala with Brendan Moloney in the 44th minute, came close to adding a second when Sharp saw his angled shot deflected narrowly over the bar.
The visitors began the second half with a slight reshuffle in formation, with Gillett pushing further forward to make it more of an orthodox 4-4-2, with Cohen on the left and Reid on the right of midfield.
Reid thought he had scored against his former club when he connected crisply with a powerful shot that looked as though it may bend inside the post, before flying inches wide with Gilks at full stretch.
Evatt was booked for a very late challenge on Moloney in the 63rd minute, which brought a halt to a promising Forest attack down the right.
Blackpool made a double change in the 69th minute, bringing on Nouha Dicko and Nathan Delfouneso – and, within seconds, before either player could get a touch, the home side had pulled level as Phillips crossed to pick out the late run of another sub, Grandin, who headed simply home.
Six minutes later, Blackpool, who had been second best for much of the game, found themselves ahead for the first time as Taylor-Fletcher intelligently worked the room for a shot just inside the box, before calmly stroking a low shot beyond Camp and into the bottom corner.
Sharp might have secured a share of the spoils when he again timed his run to perfection in the 83rd minute, but could not provide a finish of equal quality, misfiring wide of the post.
But then Blackstock popped up to provide the final twist in the tail to earn Forest a point.
Forest: Camp, Halford, Ayala (Moloney 44), Collins, Harding, Gillett (Blackstock 82), Cohen, Majewski (Jenas 77), Reid, Sharp, Cox. Subs: Evtimov, Moussi, McGugan, Coppinger.
Blackpool: Gilks, Crainey, Eardley (Dicko 69), Evatt, Phillips, Gomes (Grandin 59), Ince, Taylor-Fletcher, Sylvestre (Delfouneso 69), Baptiste, Osbourne. Subs: Basham, Halstead, Angel, Broadfoot.
Referee: Eddie Ilderton, Tyne and Wear
Attendance: 13,228
