Despite a performance to be proud of, Derby County weren't able to complete what would have been the greatest of comebacks in this afternoon's thrilling local derby at Nottingham Forest.

Derby trailed at half-time to strikes from Radoslaw Majewski's, Dexter Blackstock and Nathan Tyson had Forest 3-0 up.

But, an own goal by Wes Morgan and a deflected Jake Livermore strike put Derby right back in the game as the Rams took the game by the scruff of their neck and dominated the game.

An equaliser looked on the cards for long spells with Forest pinned back and hanging on as the Rams dominated.

Off We Go: Derby Line-Up For Action

Boss Nigel Clough made two changes to the side that started in the 2-1 victory at home to Plymouth Argyle a week ago.

Rob Hulse and ex-Red Kris Commons were handed starting berths in place of the injured Steven Davies and Lee Croft, who was named on the bench.

As kick-off approached the magnificent 4,300+ Rams following were in full voice, outsinging the home faithful, but within sixty seconds of the game they were silenced.

Forest mounted an early attack and a cross from the right by Gunter was hooked away to the edge of the box and Polish midfielder Radolsaw Majewski let fly with a thunderous twenty-five yard drive that flew past Bywater and crashed into the net off the crossbar.

The Rams goalkeeper had no chance as the ball fizzed past him to send the home fans into raptures.

The early momentum was with the Reds and they forced a corner just a few minutes later, but Derby held firm.

Rising High: Jake Buxton Wins A Header

It was a typical local derby in the early stages with plenty of meaty challenges flying in and real high tempo start from both sides.

Derby were searching for a way back into the game and Rob Hulse tried his luck with a fierce volley inside the area on eighteen minutes but his strike was straight down the throat of Lee Camp.

Another long-range drive from Forest, this time from Cohen, on twenty minutes had Derby worried but his low effort was just wide with Bywater at full stretch.

Straight down the other end Stephen Pearson fed Gary Teale on the break in a great position just inside the Forest area but he dragged his effort wide.

Off Target: Gary Teale Shoots Wide

From a free-kick on twenty-eight minutes the home side edged further ahead as Cohen's inswinger was diverted into net to make it 2-0. Blackstock ran away claiming the credit for the goal although there were suggestions the ball went in off Rob Hulse, not that it really mattered to Forest.

Hulse thought he had pulled a goal back after a good spell of pressure by the Rams before the break, but Referee Mr Atkinson ruled out Hulse's header at the far post from a push on Wes Morgan inside the six-yard box.

It was a decision that proved to be a big turning point from the Rams' point of view. If that goal had stood, it would have changed the whole complexion of the game.

Things went from bad to worse for Derby before the break when Forest won the ball in midfield and quickly burst towards goal and Blackstock's inch-perfect through-ball found Tyson and he rounded Bywater to slide the ball home.

Moments earlier Hulse had another opportunity five minutes before the break but Lee Camp was quickly off his line to clear after Pearson had played the former Sheffield United frontman clear on goal.

At the break Derby introduced Lee Croft into the action in place of Kris Commons, with Croft on the right of midfield and Teale on the left.

The Rams started the half well and quickly pulled a goal back and fire a warning to the home side that the game was far from over.

Holding It Up: Rob Hulse Holds Up The Play

A free-kick wasn't properly cleared by Forest and Miles Addison tried an overhead kick that took a deflection off Wes Morgan and trickled past the wrong-footed Camp to give the Rams a glimmer of hope.

The goal added to the atmosphere and Derby's tails were up.

Forest's defence were earning their corn as they cleared a number of crosses from the Rams, urged on by their loyal supporters still packed behind the goal the Rams were attacking.

And the game took another dramatic twist just after the hour as the Rams pulled the score back to 3-2.

Again Forest didn't clear their lines and Livermore's low drive from eighteen yards took another wicked deflection, and with Camp diving the other way the ball somehow found its way into the back of the net.

It really was game on - and with half an hour left to play the Rams had put themselves in a terrific position to get something from a game that looked beyond them at the break.

Adebola forced a routine save from Bywater in a rare Forest attack on sixty-seven minutes, with the home crowd quiet as a mouse. All the noise was coming from the away end.

Twice super Lee Croft runs down the right were picked out by the Rams midfield and he delivered two excellent crosses, but Camp wasn't tested.

On the other side Teale beat his marker and crossed low into the six-yard box but Chambers' out-stretched leg forced the ball behind for a corner which Forest hacked the ball away.

Excellent: Jake Livermore Played Well & Made It 3-2

Paul Green came off the bench to add his experience to the game for the final ten minutes in place of Jake Livermore, who put in a fine display in the middle of the park throughout.

Pearson had a shot blocked as the game entered the final ten minutes and the game hanging in the balance.

The pressure continued as Derby got into some excellent attacking positions but they just couldn't find that equalising goal they desperately craved.

Paul Dickov came off the bench for the final few minutes for his Rams debut after joining on loan from Leicester City yesterday, replacing Jake Buxton as Derby threw caution to the wind.

Emotions were high in the final few minutes and Rams Coach Andy Garner was sent to the stands by Referee Mr Atkinson and both sets of players got involved in a scuffle on the far-side that saw Gareth McCleary booked for Forest as well as Paul Connolly and Stephen Pearson for the Rams.

In the end the three-goal lead was just enough for Forest, but Derby must take great pride from a performance full of heart - especially in the second-half - which almost completed the most remarkable of comebacks. It would have made the 2-0 comeback last year look like a walk in the park!

Despite a confontation between both sets of players at the final whistle the game should really be remembered for the on the field action because make no mistake, this was a cracking local derby.

Nottingham Forest: Camp, Chambers, Morgan, Tyson, Garner (McCleary 64), Cohen, Gunter, McGoldrick (Earnshaw 74), McKenna, Blackstock (Adebola 58), Majewski
Subs: Smith, Anderson, Earnshaw, Davies, Mitchell
Goals: Majewski (1), Blackstock (28) Tyson (43)
Booked: Garner, McCleary

Derby County: Bywater, Connolly, Buxton (Dickov 86), Addison, Moxey, Livermore (Green 78), Savage, Pearson, Teale, Commons (Croft 46), Hulse
Subs: Deeney, McEveley, Barker, Leacock
Goals: Morgan(OG - 50), Livermore (62)
Booked: Moxey, Buxton, Connolly, Pearson

Referee: Mr M Atkinson

Attendance: 28,143 (4,376 Derby County Fans)