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Gareth Davis reports from Pride Park Stadium

It may have ended 1-1 but the Rams' first league game with Nottingham Forest in four years will live long in the memory for the most dramatic of endings.

A straightforward point looked on the cards as time ticked on after Tito Villa had cancelled out his earlier own-goal to give the advantage to Forest, who also had Lewis McGugan dismissed in the second half.

But then it all kicked off in stoppage-time. First, with the Rams celebrating Miles Addison's towering header, referee Stuart Attwell pulled play back for a mysterious penalty.

Former Derby man Lee Camp saved Nacer Barazite's spot-kick, then pulled out another superb stop to deny Przemyslaw Kazmierczak from the resulting corner.

If that wasn't enough, the next flag-kick came over and up rose Addison again to power home another fine header - only for it to be ruled out for an apparent push.

Derby were forced into one change for the first East Midlands encounter of the season as Martin Albrechtsen was ruled out by a hamstring problem.

That meant a return to the starting line-up for Dean Leacock, who had missed the midweek win over Norwich City with a calf injury.

Not surprisingly, there was a rip-roaring atmosphere ahead of kick-off for a game with even more spice than normal.

In Derby's side was former Forest man Kris Commons, while the visitors began with ex-Rams Lee Camp and Robert Earnshaw - Commons and Earnshaw having swapped clubs ahead of the season.

The early few minutes were fast and frenetic, as expected in a game such as this, though Derby did have the first threat through a Commons corner that was only half-cleared but nobody in a white shirt could reach Miles Addison's pull-back.

A howling wind wasn't helping proceedings settle down and although Forest's Paul Anderson had the ball in the back of the net on 16 minutes, the whistle had already gone to pull him back for offside after Lewis McGugan's shot had deflected off Earnshaw and into his path.

Commons swung over a 25th-minute corner that found its way to Paul Green, whose powerful shot was blocked in front of goal, as Derby seriously threatened for the first time.

And the Rams were forced into a change just three minutes later as Rob Hulse, who had been down for treatment after Green's shot, headed off unable to continue.

The former Sheffield United man had been in fine form over recent weeks but his afternoon was over due to a rib injury and Tito Villa replaced him.

Referee Stuart Attwell had his yellow card out for the first time on 34 minutes as he cautioned Addison and Carl Fletcher for what was nothing more than a minor flare-up on the halfway line.

A good opportunity then fell to Nathan Ellington six minutes before half-time as Villa nodded down Stephen Bywater's long clearance, but the Duke couldn't control his shot from the edge of the box and blazed well over.

And for all the expectation surrounding the game ahead of kick-off it had failed to spark into serious life at any stage during the first half, and a Teale 20-yarder safely over the bar somewhat summed up the opening 45 minutes.

Nacer Barazite, fit again after the knee injury picked up at Blackpool, was introduced at half-time in place of Teale, while the visitors also threw on Luke Chambers for Fletcher.

The second half's first sight of goal was Earnshaw's as he stole in on a long ball but just as he looked set to pull the trigger, up popped Jordan Stewart with a fantastic last-ditch challenge.

Leacock then saw yellow for a harmless-looking foul on halfway, though it wasn't clear whether Attwell was cautioning the centre-half for persistent offending or dissent.

Lewin Nyatanga followed him after catching Paul Anderson with Forest about to launch a quick break seven minutes in.

The visitors were having their best spell of pressure yet and only a fine Stephen Bywater save prevented them from opening the scoring through Luke Chambers.

That said, the respite was brief as with 54 on the clock the visitors were in front.

Derby failed to clear their lines from the resulting corner and when the ball was driven back in by Chambers, Bywater saved well but the rebound struck Villa and unfortunately rebounded over the line.

Barazite's first touch came ten minutes after his arrival and it was almost decisive as he played a one-two with Connolly before firing a 25-yard shot just past Camp's post as the Rams went in search of an immediate response.

And it could have been even worse for Derby on the hour when McGugan stretched to reach a deep Anderson cross from the right but couldn't quite get enough of a contact on the ball.

But the Rams were back level on 65 minutes with Commons the architect.

The former Forest man chipped in a free-kick that was nodded on by Barazite, and Villa was on hand to tuck the ball in from close-range for his second goal of the season.

Colin Calderwood responded by introducing Nathan Tyson for the ineffective Garner alongside Earnshaw in attack.

And the Rams' third change followed on 70 as Przemyslaw Kazmierczak took over from Ellington.

That meant a change in shape with Commons supporting Villa while the Pole dropped in on the left of midfield.

Forest then found themselves down to ten men as McGugan was dismissed for a lunge on Green that left Attwell reaching for the red card immediately.

The feeling was that it had become Derby's game to win and they forced Camp into his first save of the afternoon soon afterwards as he saved well from Commons.

That sparked a spell of pressure for the Rams but they didn't come up with another serious threat until the 88th minute as Barazite mis-cued his cross and forced Camp to scramble it away from underneath his crossbar.

Camp enjoyed a busy end to the game and earned his side a point in dramatic style as the game ended in absolute farce.

He produced a fine stop to deny Barazite, then Derby looked to have won it through a towering Addison header that found the back of the net, but with the teen in mid-air Attwell blew the whistle to give Derby a penalty for handball by Chambers.

Camp dived to his right and turned away Barazite's spot-kick, then denied Kazmierczak with an equally fine save from the resulting corner.

Derby kept up the pressure and again found the back of the net, through another Addison header, but with the home side celebrating Attwell gave a free-kick out of nothing and ruled out another goal.

It was the most dramatic of finishes and one that will live long in the memory.

Derby County: Bywater, Connolly (C), Green, Stewart, Commons, Ellington (Kazmierczak 70), Hulse (Villa 28), Leacock, Nyatanga, Teale (Barazite HT), Addison.

Substitutes: Carroll (GK), Zadkovich.

Nottingham Forest: Camp, Lynch, Morgan, Breckin (C), Perch, McGugan (S/O 74), Earnshaw, Anderson, McCleary (Thornhill 84), Garner (Tyson 66), Fletcher (Chambers HT).

Substitutes: Smith (GK), Wilson.

Attendance: 33,010 (2,766 visiting fans).