Dawson - lashed home from 30 yards.
Click here for full match stats
Michael Dawson and David Johnson secured a priceless three points for Forest
who halted a sorry run of results with victory over plucky Burnley.
Highly-rated defender Dawson produced a fearsome 30-yard drive that proved too
hot for Clarets goalkeeper Nik Michopoulos to handle and Johnson sealed the win
with a slick finish in the last minute.
Paul Hart's out-of-sorts side, without a win in four games and desperate to
cling onto a play-off spot, had numerous first half chances and threatened to
break the deadlock as early as the first minute when Eoin Jess tested
Michopoulos with a 25 yarder.
Marlon Harewood headed over from six yards two minutes later but the hosts
suffered a set-back shortly afterwards when Gareth Williams was forced from the
action with a shoulder injury and replaced by Eugen Bopp.
But it was Burnley youngster Richard Chaplow who had the best chance early on
when he turned Michael Dawson before firing narrowly wide.
During the first half, the Clarets were forced into two changes as Gordon
Armstrong replaced Drissa Diallo in the 18th minute and Matthew O'Neill came on
for Dimitrious Papadopoulos six minutes before the break.
Forest veteran Des Walker replaced Mathieu Louis-Jean for the start of the
second period and the home side played with a renewed purpose.
Johnson almost gave them the lead two minutes after the re-start but chose to
head across goal when well-placed and five minutes later he was unable to force
the ball home from two yards after Harewood had squared a dangerous pass across
the face of goal.
The Burnley goal appeared to be living a charmed life as Forest threw
everything at their visitors.
Eugen Bopp went within a whisker of the top corner with a shot from distance
just after the hour mark and Jim Brennan failed to hit the target from a narrow
angle two minutes later.
A frustrating 0-0 draw appeared to be on the cards for Forest until Dawson saw
his thunderbolt find the back of the net and Johnson put the result beyond doubt
in the 90th minute, latching onto Bopp's pass before slotting home.
Teams
Nottm Forest Ward, Louis-Jean (Walker 45), Dawson, Thompson,
Brennan, Williams (Bopp 8), Scimeca, Jess (Lester 70), Reid,
Johnson, Harewood.
Subs Not Used: Doig, Roche.
Goals: Dawson 75, Johnson 90.
Burnley Michopoulos, McGregor, Diallo (Armstrong 19), Branch,
Gnohere, Ian Moore, Blake, Stephen Davis, Chaplow,
Papadopoulos (O'Neill 38), Taylor, Armstrong (Rasmussen 81).
Subs Not Used: Waine, Leeson.
Booked: McGregor, Ian Moore.
Att: 25,403
Ref: A Bates (Staffordshire).
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