Chris Hughton admits he didn’t see a goal coming for his side despite feeling they come on strong late in the piece.

Joe Lolley’s deflected strike gave Forest all three points, that coming in the final seconds of a match which was devoid of clear-cut openings.

Forest did come close before Lolley’s strike, Thomas Kaminski saving well from Sammy Ameobi and Lyle Taylor, while the former was also denied by the outside of the post.

Rovers went a second successive match without scoring, as Forest took the spoils with Lolley’s late goal, giving Hughton victory in his first match in charge after replacing Sabri Lamouchi.

And the new Forest boss said: “When you win a game in that manner towards the end of the game, it’s an even nicer feeling.

“We’ve come to a team in really good form and, for periods, they showed why. They’ve been able to score goals, so the pleasing aspect is I thought we got stronger as the game went on.

“It was always about making sure we were solid enough as a team but having opportunities ourselves. Did I see the goal coming? Probably not. I thought the game was going to be 0-0, but we finished strong, which was good.

“When you score a goal so late in the game, it gives the team an incredible lift.

“He’s (Lolley) got that type of ability, particularly when he comes inside and gets good power.”

Rovers had scored 11 goals in their opening three Championship fixtures, but have now failed to score in their last two.

They managed just one shot on target, that coming from a long range Ben Brereton effort, as Forest put up a solid rearguard display.

And that was one aspect which particularly pleased Hughton.

“It was tough going up against a really good side, and it showed why they have had the start to the season that they have had,” he added.

“We had to defend well at times as a group but I thought in the end, we created some decent chances and were probably the one team that was going to show that little bit of quality or get that little bit of luck, which is what we did, was going to win the game.

“When you are the away team that comes to a side in good form, and you put in the type of performance that we did, a real gritty performance and a hard-working performance, sometimes as the away team you have earned that right.

“If something fortunate goes your way then you would like to think you have earned it.

“The pleasing thing for me was as the game went on, they were going to have good periods because of the way they play and the type of players that they have got, but we finished strongly.

“The longer you are in the game, the players get that more encouragement but you are reliant on the players that can turn something for you and it is either going to be a bit of quality to get that goal or a bit of fortune and we will take it for what it is.”