David Johnson's 27th goal of the season guaranteed Paul Hart's Nottingham Forest a play-off place and keeps their dreams of Premiership football next season alive.

But, after leading at half-time, Forest were made to fight all the way by the visitors and eventually had to settle for a share of the spoils in a six-goal thriller.

Millwall, who pushed forward at every opportunity after the interval in search of an equaliser, took the game to Forest after the interval and made it 2-2 in the 66th minute.

The visitors were awarded a free-kick following Michael Dawson's foul on Harris in the 66th minute and Tim Cahill stepped up to hammer in a spectacular free-kick from 25 yards, his second goal in successive games.

But just five minutes later Johnson fired home in clinical fashion from 18 yards to put his side back in front.

Johnson's strike looked to have sealed maximum points, but Neil Harris netted his fifth goal in six games from 20 yards late on to give his side a deserved equaliser.

The game started brightly as both sides looked for an early breakthrough and it was Forest who got it in the 19th minute.

The Millwall defence dithered, giving Eoin Jess time and space, and the former Scottish international made no mistake as he sent his shot past Warner from 18 yards

Forest looked to be in complete command as they went two up after 22 minutes when Johnson's cross was hammered home superbly by midfielder Eugen Bopp, who had been recalled to the side.

But the celebrations had barely died down before Millwall halved the deficit.

Stuart Nethercott drilled home a right-foot shot to give Millwall a timely boost, but then blotted his copybook by being booked for unsporting behaviour eight minutes before the interval.

Forest's John Thompson followed Nethercott into the referee's notebook shortly afterwards, and Millwall's Ifill was shown the yellow card in first-half injury time.

Millwall's Tony Caig became the fourth player to be booked 10 minutes into the second half and Forest's Marlon Harewood was also cautioned.

Teams:

Nottm Forest: Ward, Thompson, Dawson, Walker, Brennan, Bopp, Scimeca, Jess (Lester 81), Reid, Johnson (Westcarr 75), Harewood.

Subs Not Used: Roche, Doig, Louis-Jean.

Booked: Thompson, Harewood.

Goals: Jess 19, Bopp 22, Johnson 72.

Millwall: Warner, Lawrence, Nethercott, Ward, Craig (Ryan 67), Ifill, Cahill (Elliott 67), Livermore, Roberts, Harris, McCammon (Claridge 78).

Subs Not Used: Gueret, Braniff.

Booked: Nethercott, Ifill, Craig.

Goals: Nethercott 25, Cahill 67, Harris 87.

Att: 29,463

Ref: M Fletcher (Worcestershire).