Match ends, Nottingham Forest 4, Watford 2.
Nottm ForestNottingham Forest4WatfordWatford2
Nottingham Forest came from two down to beat Watford as four goals from substitutes Simon Cox, Darius Henderson and Jamie Mackie secured victory.
Gabriele Angella's second-half header added to his cleverly flicked opener as the visitors stunned the City Ground.
But Cox converted from six yards to spark a fightback, before Henderson headed level against his old club.
Andy Reid delivered for Mackie to head home, before Cox struck again as Forest consolidated fifth place in the table.
Billy Davies's side have now gone 12 games unbeaten, while Watford, who suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since November, remain 16th.
Giuseppe Sannino's Watford raced into a shock two-goal lead at Manchester City in the FA Cup on Saturday and repeated the feat against the Championship promotion hopefuls.
Troy Deeney went close for the Hornets and Danny Collins had smashed a header against the bar for the home side before Angella, a defender, finished like an accomplished centre forward.
The 24-year-old audaciously flicked Ikechi Anya's corner goalwards with the outside of his boot and the accuracy of the effort proved too much for Gonzalo Jara, who could not clear the ball off the goal-line.
Davies responded by introducing Cox for Greg Halford during the interval and Forest rallied as the outstanding Andy Reid drew a parried save from Manuel Almunia.
The former Arsenal goalkeeper again thwarted Reid on 58 minutes after Angella doubled the visitors' advantage with help from some charitable defending.
His unmarked run afforded him space to plant a header past Karl Darlow from Sean Murray's inswinging free-kick.
Cox halved the deficit 11 minutes later, applying the finish after Guy Moussi headed Reid's cross into the six-yard box.
Another fine Reid delivery saw Henderson oblige from close range to level the scores.
Cristian Battocchio tested Darlow as Watford rallied, but Mackie, on the field for just 83 seconds, planted a header low past Almunia after Reid had again delivered with accuracy.
Former West Brom striker Cox took his goal tally for the season to seven in injury time when he coolly side-footed home from 10 yards to secure Forest's fourth home league win in five matches.
Line-ups
Nottm Forest
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Darlow
- 2Lichaj
- 3Harding
- 6Moussi
- 16Lascelles
- 5Collins
- 39AbdounSubstituted forHendersonat 69'minutes
- 18Jara
- 15HalfordSubstituted forCoxat 45'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 21PatersonSubstituted forMackieat 80'minutes
- 11Reid
Substitutes
- 9Henderson
- 12Mackie
- 20Tudgay
- 27Derbyshire
- 28Majewski
- 29de Vries
- 31Cox
Watford
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Almunia
- 19Faraoni
- 18Pudil
- 4AngellaBooked at 42mins
- 6EkstrandBooked at 36mins
- 12Doyley
- 7Battocchio
- 16Murray
- 9Deeney
- 11ForestieriSubstituted forAbdiat 59'minutesSubstituted forCassettiat 73'minutesBooked at 80mins
- 21AnyaSubstituted forFabbriniat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 3BellerÃn
- 8Merkel
- 17Hall
- 20Fabbrini
- 22Abdi
- 27Cassetti
- 30Bond
- Referee:
- Simon Hooper
- Attendance:
- 18,510
Match Stats
Home TeamNottm ForestAway TeamWatford
- Possession
- Home68%
- Away32%
- Shots
- Home19
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away4
- Corners
- Home9
- Away8
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Nottingham Forest 4, Watford 2.
Post update
Attempt missed. Darius Henderson (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Daniel Harding with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Manuel Almunia.
Post update
Attempt saved. Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Andy Reid.
Post update
Attempt saved. Marco Davide Faraoni (Watford) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lloyd Doyley.
Post update
Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Marco Cassetti.
Post update
Darius Henderson (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Sean Murray (Watford).
Post update
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Karl Darlow.
Post update
Attempt saved. Troy Deeney (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Marco Davide Faraoni.
Booking
Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Goal!
Goal! Nottingham Forest 4, Watford 2. Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner.
Post update
Darius Henderson (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Joel Ekstrand (Watford).
Post update
Foul by Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest).
Post update
Diego Fabbrini (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest).
Post update
Joel Ekstrand (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Daniel Pudil (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marco Davide Faraoni.
