A pair of defensive howlers led to both first-half goals at the City Ground.

First Iain Turner fumbled a harmless cross to allow Ivan Sproule to score Bristol City's opener before Jamie McCombe's miskick allowed Rob Earnshaw to equalise for Forest.

Chris Cohen had the first shot after just 20 seconds but Adriano Basso was easily down to save.

And Dexter Blackstock should have given the hosts the lead seconds later, but somehow glanced Cohen's free-kick wide from five yards.

City's first chance came when Cole Skuse crossed from the left and Michael McIndoe's attempt at an overhead kick bounced just wide of the near post.

City took the lead on 13 minutes when a speculative cross from the left by Lee Johnson was missed by both visiting strikers but Turner fumbled the ball low down after colliding with a defender, leaving Sproule an open goal to tap into.

Turner needed treatment after the injury but the greater blow was surely to his pride.

Nicky Maynard then tried to lob Turner after a pass from McCombe but fired well over the top.

City threatened again on 25 minutes when a long free-kick from Bradley Orr saw McCombe climb highest and head across goal but this time Turner pulled off a fine save, tipping the ball to safety.

Smith's save was made even more valuable not long after when a mistake from McCombe led to

Forest's equaliser on 32 minutes. The big centre half failed to deal with a bouncing ball over the top and Earnshaw nipped in to control and finish past Basso.

Forest could have been ahead five minutes later when on-loan Spurs full-back Chris Gunter collected a half-clearance on the edge of the City box and let fly with a left-footer that curled narrowly wide.

Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): Turner; Gunter, Wilson, Morgan, Lynch; Anderson, Perch, Moussi, Cohen; Earnshaw, Blackstock. Subs not used: Smith, Chambers, McGugan, McCleary, Garner.

Bristol City (4-4-2): Basso; Orr, McCombe, Fontaine, McAllister; Sproule, Skuse, Johnson, McIndoe; Maynard, Adebola. Subs not used: Henderson, John, Elliott, Williams, Iriekpen.