SECOND half goals from Jonny Howson and Graham Dorrans secured City an impressive 2-1 comeback victory at Nottingham Forest.

Both teams showed their attacking intent in an entertaining opening 20 minutes, but it was Forest who stole the advantage after City had spurned a glorious chance to do just that moments before.

When Wes Hoolahan was felled in the box, the Ireland international stepped up to the take the spot-kick himself - but home 'keeper Vladimir Stojkovic got down well to make an excellent penalty save to his left.

A buoyed Forest, five minutes before half-time, then compounded the visitors' frustrations when Apostolos Vellios stabbed home from close-range after a header had rebounded off the inside of the woodwork.

City needed an early goal in the second half and that's what they got when Howson hooked the ball home via the post after it had looped to him from Jacob Murphy's corner.

14 minutes later, Dorrans turned the contest in his team's favour with a superb strike from outside the box that flew into the bottom corner - his first goal since May 2015.

The Canaries' second half certainly display merited the three points, with Alex Neil without doubt delighted with how his players responded after the first half disappointment.

HOW THEY LINED UP
City made only one change from the midweek win over Wigan Athletic with Alex Tettey, as expected, missing through injury.

Robbie Brady returned to the starting eleven as Howson reverted to central midfield and Murphy moved across to the right flank.

Ivo Pinto was passed fit to play, while Louis Thompson - yet to make his league debut for the Club - was named on the substitutes' bench. Former City loan star Henri Lansbury was among Forest's reserves.

KEY MOMENT
With the double blow of missing a penalty and then conceding in the first half, a fast start to the second was imperative for Neil's men.

Just seven minutes into it, they got their leveller from a set-piece as Murphy's corner fell towards Howson, with the midfielder quickest to reach to poke it home with Cameron Jerome on the line.

It cemented the Canaries' place as the main protagonists in the second period, and they went on to capitalise through Dorrans' second goal.

WHAT IT MEANS
Victory capped off a perfect week for City results-wise as they notched their third win in seven days following home triumphs over Cardiff and Wigan.

Confidence will now be high, especially after a start of eight games where Neil feels his team haven't hit the heights they're capable of - and yet they've lost only once in that cluster of matches.

In the Sky Bet Championship table, City elevated themselves into the automatic promotion places at the close of play, with their next league test at home to Burton Albion in a week's time.

GOALS: Forest: Apostolos Vellios (40) - Canaries: Jonny Howson (52), Graham Dorrans (66)

NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Stojkovic; Lichaj, Mancienne, Mills, Fox, Pereira, Cohen (c) (Lansbury 70), Kasami, Carayol, Dumitru-Cardoso (Osborn 78), Vellios (Bendtner 59). Subs not used: Smith (GK), Traore, Lica, Grant.

NORWICH CITY: McGovern; Pinto, Martin (c), Klose, Olsson; Howson, Dorrans; Ja. Murphy (Bennett 90), Hoolahan (Thompson 88), Brady; Jerome (Lafferty 90). Subs not used: Ruddy (GK), Bassong, Pritchard, Jo. Murphy.

REFEREE: Chris Kavanagh

ATTENDANCE: 20,323

WHERE NEXT?
The Canaries are in cup action in midweek as they travel to Premier League Everton on Tuesday in Round Three of the EFL Cup.

Nottingham Forest v Norwich City

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