Fierce East Midlands rivals Derby and Nottingham Forest face an FA Cup fourth-round replay next month after Robert Earnshaw struck against his former club to deny Nigel Clough a first victory as Rams manager.

Wales international Earnshaw, who left Derby to join Forest last summer, marked his return to Pride Park with a second-half goal to cancel out Rob Hulse's opener.

The pre-match build up had all the sub-plots of a soap opera.

As if the traditional rivalry between two clubs was not enough already, the stretch of A52 that separates the sides - renamed the Brian Clough Way in 2005 - has seen its fair share of two-way traffic over the years.

The legendary Brian Clough managed both clubs during his career, and his son, Nigel, is now the Derby manager despite having first supported, and then played for Forest.

Billy Davies, the new Forest manager, was until November 2007 the boss at Derby, and he still lives in a hotel in the city while he attempts to find a house in Nottingham. Unfortunately the Scot was not in the dugout, instead attending to important family matters in Glasgow.

Then there is Kris Commons, the Derby winger who formerly played at Forest, and Earnshaw.

Davies did his best to stir the pot with a scathing assessment of his former chairman Adam Pearson, while Clough himself raised eyebrows on his appointment at Derby by revealing that it was the only club for which he would have considered leaving Blue Square Premier outfit Burton Albion.

And the game itself lived up to the hype.

The first real chance arrived as the midway point of the first half approached.

It was all Gary Teale's work. The midfielder cut inside from the left wing but his low shot from the edge of the area lacked conviction and was easily gathered by Forest goalkeeper Paul Smith.

Smith was called into more athletic action to turn away Nacer Barazite's shot in the 34th minute, but there was nothing he could do to keep out Hulse two minutes later.

Hulse finished off a superb Derby attack which began with a neat one-two between Paul Connolly and Barazite down the right-hand side.

Connolly's low cross was cleverly stepped over by Paul Green at the near post, allowing Hulse to sweep the ball home from six yards.

Forest's first clear chance came early in the second half. Nathan Tyson got clear down the left side of the box and forced Stephen Bywater to block.

The loose ball was then hacked clear before Earnshaw could react to the rebound.

But Earnshaw was to get on the scoresheet and Forest's goal was remarkably similar to the one they conceded.

Substitute Gareth McCleary dug out a cross, Tyson stepped over the ball at the near post and Earnshaw turned and fired a shot into the bottom corner.

Commons was introduced in the 72nd minute and it almost proved an inspired substitution by Clough.

The former Forest midfielder should have restored Derby's lead with his first touch after Jordan Stewart's cross from the left eluded everyone in the box, but Commons stabbed his half-volley over the crossbar at the back post.

Smith produced two dramatic late saves to keep out headers from Hulse and substitute Luke Varney to ensure that no-one got the bragging rights.

Teams

Derby Bywater, Connolly, Addison, Albrechtsen, Stewart,Barazite (Villa 89), Green, Savage, Teale (Commons 72), Hulse,Barnes (Varney 64).

Subs Not Used: Carroll, Nyatanga, Hanson, Beardsley.

Booked: Connolly.

Goals: Hulse 36.

Nottm Forest Smith, Chambers, Wilson, Breckin,Lynch (McCleary 46), Anderson (Davies 78), Perch, McGugan,Cohen, Tyson, Earnshaw (Garner 90).

Subs Not Used: Darlow, Byrne, Thornhill, Heath.

Booked: McCleary, Cohen.

Goals: Earnshaw 64.

Att: 32,035

Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).