A late Nottingham Forest fightback meant a strong City reserve side fell to a 4-3 defeat after finding themselves 3-1 up with just eight minutes remaining.

Goals from Jimmy Phillips, Paul Gallagher and Jon Parkin put City in control, however Forest fought back with strikes from Alan Power, Matt Thornill (2) and Ben Fairclough to maintain their unbeaten season.

The match began and it was the visitors who created the first real opportunity. Pacy winger Emile Sinclair raced down the inside left channel but after cutting inside Demar Phillips he could only fire straight at Danzelle St. Louis-Hamilton.

Despite Forest's early dominance it was the Potters were to break the deadlock after just eleven minutes. Academy star Phillips neatly controlled and executed a perfect curling effort in to the top corner from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Six minutes later the impressive Phillips turned provider. His weaving run from right to left ended with a lovely pass to Gallagher, and the on loan striker neatly placed the ball towards the far post and into the back of the net for City's second.

The league leaders refused to lie down, and could have halved the deficit through Mark Byrne, whose long range effort stung the fingertips of St. Louis-Hamilton.

Phillips, wearing his number seven shirt, almost replicated David Beckham's strike from the half way line just before the half time interval, however visiting keeper Shane Redmond back tracked to comfortably gather his audacious effort.

Straight from the half time interval, Belgian starlet Ritchie De Laet set off on a one-man mission to make it three, but after waltzing his way through the middle of the pitch he dragged his shot wide of the right hand post.

On the hour mark the visitors were given the chance to get themselves back in the game from the penalty spot, after Demar Phillips felled Arron Davies inside the penalty area.

Midfielder Alan Power stepped up and drilled the ball in to the bottom right hand corner, giving St. Louis-Hamilton no chance.

Barely two minutes later though, O'Connor's side made it three. Parkin out muscled both Tom Sharpe and Hamza Bencherif and rifled the ball past the keeper, much to the delight of the City supporters.

Forest came straight back at the Potters, but strikes from both Sinclair and Davies failed to find the target.

Sinclair wasted a golden opportunity to make it 3-2 in the 77^th minute, by somehow heading Davies' powerful cross wide of the post from just three yards.

A superb passage of football between Parkin and Pericard teed up starlet Tom Thorley, but his shot flashed past the post.

A nightmare 60 seconds saw City throw away their two goal cushion as Forest stunned the hosts.

Firstly Thornhill expertly curled the ball in to the top corner on 82 minutes, before substitute Fairclough smashed the ball home a minute later.

The Potters looked rattled and Thornhill was to go on and grab a late winner when he headed home unmarked from a right sided cross.

CITY (4-4-2): St. Louis-Hamilton; De Laet, Broomes (c), Buxton, D. Phillips; J. Phillips, Thorley, Grocott, Gallagher (Diao-Jimenez 60); Parkin, Pericard. Subs: Urwin, Harrison, Moult, Vauls.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Redmond, Perch, Heath (Fairclough), Power (c) (Reid), Sharpe, Bencherif (Kavanagh), McCleary, Thornhill, Sinclair, Davies, Byrne. Subs: Darlow, Hartmann.