Rob Hulse ensured Crewe will not go down without a fight as Dario Gradi's side battled back from two goals down at the City Ground.

But it still might not be enough to save the Alex. With other results not going their way brave Crewe are all but relegated.

Wins for both Grimsby and Walsall meant that nothing more than a win would suffice for the visitors, but it was not to be against a vibrant Forest outfit.

Eugen Bopp and Mathieu Louis-Jean fired Forest into a deserved 2-0 lead, but as Crewe spiralled towards the Second Division Rodney Jack gave them hope with 13 minutes remaining.

The Crewe winger drilled home from 20 yards to set his side up for a grandstand finish and Gradi's boys did not disappoint.

David Wright broke free down the right with eight minutes left and his cross was headed home in fine style by Hulse from 18 yards.

Eugen Bopp's jig of joy six minutes into the second half appeared to have signalled the beginning of the end of Crewe's five-year run in the First Division.

The Forest midfielder let fly from 20 yards to open the scoring and Frenchman Louis-Jean proved he too had his shooting boots on when he fired home Forest's second from similar distance after 67 minutes.

England Under-19s striker Dean Ashton then saw his 25-yarder parried by Forest keeper Darren Ward as Crewe made it clear they were not finished yet.

Jack pounced to rifle home from 20 yards and with their tails up Hulse headed them back on terms with eight minutes left.

Forest will have been disappointed not to have been home and dry after dominating for long periods.

Crewe had lived dangerously in the opening 45 minutes, although young striker Ashton went closest to breaking the deadlock when his 20-yard volley rebounded off the crossbar.

Forest started the brighter, Marlon Harewood's stinging 25-yard shot early on flying wide and Jack Lester's clever lob being cleared by Crewe's Dave Walton.

The visitors then wasted a free-kick opportunity, Kenny Lunt hitting the wall from striking distance, while Lester again caused Crewe hearts to flutter, this time seeing his right-foot 20-yarder tipped round the post by Ade Bankole.

It was 21 minutes before Crewe managed to threaten but Forest keeper Darren Ward was equal to Jack's long-range effort.

As Crewe wrestled an equal share of possession the game opened up.

Harewood blazed over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area, big Crewe defender Efe Sodje headed over from Lunt's corner and Bopp tried his luck from 30 yards as both sides went in search of that crucial first goal.

Bankole did well to hold successive long-range shots from Andrew Reid and Adam Proudlock and then the Nigerian keeper punched clear Reid's dangerous cross.

Lester saw three headers either saved or narrowly miss the target in the second period, while Sodje and Gareth Whalley both went close for Crewe before a frantic last quarter saw the visitors earn a stay of execution.

Teams:

Nottm Forest Ward, Louis-Jean, Hjelde, Scimeca, Brennan, Prutton, Bopp, Reid, Lester, Harewood, Proudlock (Westcarr 83).

Subs Not Used: Gray, Roche, Michael Dawson, Cash.

Booked: Scimeca, Prutton, Proudlock.

Goals: Bopp 51, Louis-Jean 66.

Crewe Bankole, Wright, Sodje, Walton, Smith, Jack, Lunt, Sorvel, Whalley, Ashton, Hulse.

Subs Not Used: Ince, Tait, Foster, Rix, Vaughan.

Booked: Smith.

Goals: Jack 77, Hulse 81.

Att: 22,870

Ref: A Hall (Birmingham).