COVENTRY City's three-game winning streak was brought to an end at the City Ground by strikes in each half from Forest's Robert Earnshaw and Dexter Blackstock.

Earnshaw applied a deft finish to give the hosts the lead three minutes before the break and Blackstock provided a close range piledriver 13 minutes from time to make sure of the points for Billy Davies' side.

The Sky Blues headed into the Midlands derby clash in confident mood given their recent run of three wins on the bounce.

And they wasted no time in coming straight out of the gates in the first half, first Leon Best heading down into the path of Michael McIndoe in the area after two minutes and Aron Gunnarsson dragging a long range effort wide a minute later.

Forest had the ball in the back of the net after ten minutes when Nathan Tyson rifled a shot from 15 yards into the roof of Westwood's net only to have it ruled out for offside.

Tyson was forced into some makeshift defending at the other end a minute later when Clinton Morrison's low whipped in cross forced the winger to head behind.

Morrison was then nearly on the end of a similar cross from Michael McIndoe on 14 minutes although he contact with the ball only saw it pop over Lee Camp's crossbar.

Westwood had to be on his toes on 22 minutes when Robert Earnshaw turned Richard Wood from 20 yards out with his shot forcing the Republic of Ireland international to tip the effort over his bar.

Best made Forest fans' hearts skip a beat with ten minutes of the first half to go when his long range shot was spilled by Camp through his legs and rolled out narrowly for a corner.

It was the home side that opened the scoring though with three minutes to go before the break, Radoslaw Majewski receiving the ball in midfield and going on the counter-attack before playing the ball on the overlap for Earnshaw to chip over Westwood who had come off his line and gone to ground at the striker's feet.

A frantic start to the second half saw both sides go close inside ten minutes of the restart.

Morrison tested Camp four minutes into the second half, full back Patrick van Aanholt's shot rebounding off Wes Morgan into Morrison's path and his shot was then turned away for a corner by the Forest 'keeper.

Forest came within a couple of feet of doubling their lead two minutes later when Kelvin Wilson got to the Coventry goalline and cut back for Dexter Blackstock, the pass played just too far behind the striker in the six-yard box.

Tyson should have done better on 53 minutes when he connected with a through ball but sliced it well wide of Westwood's near post.

And McIndoe went close for the Sky Blues a minute later when Morrison teed him up on the edge of the Forest area, the winger's shot curling around the wrong side of Camp's near post.

Gunnarsson forced a desperate stop out of Morgan five minutes after the hour with a low shot from a tight angle.

But it was the hosts who were to double their lead 12 minutes later when substitute and former Sky Blue Dele Adebola managed to turn on the Coventry goalline, leaving the ball in the path of Dexter Blackstock who hammered a first time shot into Westwood's top corner.

Sammy Clingan caused some mild panic in the Forest area on 79 minutes, his corner delivery flashing across the six-yard area but missing a vital final touch.

Adebola had a chance to get on the scoresheet two minutes from time, racing onto a through ball but firing over the bar.

But Forest's two goals were enough to secure all the points and bring an end to City's winning run.

Attendance: 28,608 (2,120 away)

Teams

Coventry City: Westwood, Cranie, van Anholt, Wood (c), Barnett, Gunarsson, Cork (Clingan 69), McIndoe, Bell (Eastwood 63), Morrison, Best (Madine 82)
Subs: Ireland (GK), Wright, McPake, Ward

Nottingham Forest: Camp, Shorey, Morgan, Wilson, Earnshaw (Adebola 72), Tyson (McCleary 66) ,Cohen, Gunter, McKenna (c), Blackstock, Majewski (McGugan 83)
Subs: Smith (GK), Chambers, Anderson, McGoldrick