NOTTINGHAM Forest made two changes to their starting line-up at Cardiff City, with the in-form Lewis McGugan drafted back into midfield and Dexter Blackstock brought in to the front-line.
Blackstock's inclusion came at the expense of Simon Cox, who was left out of the squad all together. That was understood to be a precautionary measure as the forward has collected nine bookings this season and would have collected a two-match ban had he picked up another caution today.
But, from tomorrow, if he were to receive another yellow card, he would not be suspended as a result.
McGugan, who has scored in the last six games, was included in place of Andy Reid, who was dropped to a bench that also saw Marcus Tudgay among the substitutes for the first time since suffering a broken collar bone.
In defence, Billy Davies kept faith with the central partnership of Greg Halford and Elliott Ward, meaning that club captain Danny Collins again had to be satisfied with a substitute role.
Cardiff's in-form front man, Frasier Campbell, did not recover from a shin problem and was not included in their squad.
Cardiff: Marshall, McNaughton, Taylor, Turner, Kim, Smith, Gunnarsson, Mutch, Helguson, Barnett, Bellamy. Subs: Lewis, Whittingham, Conway, Gestede, Noone, Mason, Nugent.
Forest: Darlow, Jara, Ward, Halford, Cohen, Guedioura, Lansbury, McGugan, Majewski, Henderson, Blackstock. Subs: Evtimov, Harding, Collins, Moussi, Reid, Tudgay, Sharp.