Grimsby got the better of nine-man Forest in an amazing game at Blundell Park.

David Platt's side had both goalkeeper Dave Beasant and centre-back Jon Olav Hjelde sent off in five minutes of second-half madness.

Grimsby went 4-2 ahead but nine-man Forest pulled a goal back in injury time to give the home side a nervous finale.

Grimsby went ahead in an all-action game in the 28th minute when Jack Lester guided a Lee Ashcroft cross past Beasant.

And they increased the lead three minutes later through Ashcroft. He took advantage of a slip by Hjelde to steer his shot past the advancing keeper.

It took Forest less than a minute to reply with Alan Rogers hitting a superb dipping volley into the top corner.

Early in the second half Grimsby gifted Forest an equaliser. Dougie Freedman muscled Paul Groves off the ball in the box and sent over a low cross which Mark Lever diverted into his own net.

The first sending off came in the 66th minute, Hjelde and Ashcroft tussled for a through ball with the wrestling match continuing into the box where Ashcroft went down.

Referee Tony Leake pointed to the spot and Hjelde, being the last defender was sent off. Ashcroft converted the spot kick for his 12th of the season.

Then, in the 72nd minute, Leicester won a tussle with substitute Mathieu Louis-Jean and bore down on Beasant's goal. His lob was beaten away by the hands of the keeper who was five yards outside his goal. Beasant was sent off and Mark Crossley took over.

The nine men went 4-2 down when Kevin Donovan bent a right footer into the corner of the goal from Lester's lay-off.

But Platt's side refused to bow down and Rogers' cross-cum-shot deceived Danny Coyne and floated into the net in the fading moments.

Teams:

Grimsby: Coyne, McDermott, Livingstone, Lever (Pouton 53), Gallimore, Donovan, Coldicott, Groves, Black (Allen 74),Ashcroft, Lester.

Subs Not Used: Croudson, Buckley, Butterfield.

Booked: Ashcroft.

Goals: Lester 29, Ashcroft 32, 67 pen, Donovan 83.

Nottm Forest: Beasant, Scimeca, Hjelde, Dawson (Louis-Jean 46), Gray (Bonalair 70), Bart-Williams, Prutton, Brennan, Rogers, Freedman, John, Louis-Jean (Crossley 73).

Subs Not Used: Harewood, Williams.

Sent Off: Hjelde (66), Beasant (72).

Booked: Dawson.

Goals: Rogers 33, Lever 47 og, Rogers 90.

Att: 6,738

Ref: A Leake (Darwen, Lancs).