We were promised an open, end-to-end game between two of the most attacking sides in Division One.

What we got was a showdown measuring ten out of ten on the entertainment scale...and also in the disappointment stakes for Ipswich Town.

Town were in dreamland in the first 26 minutes, two-up and cruising against what turned out to be the strongest opposition of the season at Portman Road.

Tommy Miller poked them in front, converting from close-range after Forest blocked two efforts by Pablo Counago.

And better was to follow shortly after when the same player kept his nerve to drive home a retaken penalty.

His first effort, awarded after a foul by Andy Reid on Counago, was saved by Darren Ward but ruled out because the keeper moved off his line before the kick.

If that was a major talking point among the biggest crowd of the season then it was nothing compared to what happened in an explosive seven minutes that followed.

First, almost before Ipswich fans had stopped celebrating, substitute John Thompson arrowed a long-range effort inside the right-hand post.

Then, within 60 seconds, a mishit effort by Harewood deceived Andy Marshall and bobbled over the line.

The keeper pulled off a smart save from Johnson just after but Thompson's venomous effort from the rebound was inadvertently helped over the line by Richard Naylor.

Town, presumably baffled to be losing at half-time, restored parity when Marcus Bent latched onto a long pass by Jim Magilton and beat Ward.

But, with 15 minutes left, Harewood leapt highest to nod home a free-kick by Reid.

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