Despite the five goals scored, this was a match of very few clear chances for either side, but some excellent strikes from both teams.

Chelsea had work to do after falling behind early on but looked like we would go into the half-time break level when Dujuan Richards netted in style for the second game in a row.

However, a lucky ricochet allowed Nottingham Forest to retake the lead despite Max Merrick producing a brilliant one-on-one stop. They made it 3-1 with a volley our keeper could do nothing about in the second half.

Tyrique George then came off the bench to give us a lifeline with a fine finish from a tight angle, but we couldn't quite find another equaliser in a tense end to the game, Leo Castledine and Kiano Dyer going agonisingly close during added time.

Early setback

The match didn’t begin the way the Blues wanted, as the visitors took the lead with one of their first forays into our box. A loose ball wasn’t fully cleared and when it came back in Detlef Esapa Osong was able to shield and lay off for Jack Nadin to fire into the top corner, leaving Merrick no chance in the Chelsea goal.

We tried to respond quickly, getting some joy down the right with Richards’ direct running and Dylan Williams’ delivery, but Forest remained on top during the opening 20 minutes.

Turning the tide

There was a lengthy break in play 25 minutes in, when Ronnie Stutter required treatment for an injury, allowing Mark Robinson a chance to gather his players by the touchline to regroup after a tough start to the game.

It nearly paid off straight away when Richards spun away from his man down the right and squared to Stutter on the edge of the box, but the first-time shot was tipped over the bar. Stutter went close again as a more direct route start to promise opportunities, firing a half-volley just wide after being found in behind by Dyer.

When we did get the equaliser it was an excellent one from Richards, who turned one defender as he spun brilliantly on his first touch, before driving forward into space, picking his spot and placing a shot into the bottom-left corner from 20 yards. That made it two goals in as many games for the Jamaican, having netted his first for the club in last week’s 7-1 win at Newcastle United.

Behind at the break

We couldn’t keep things level until half-time, though, as Nottingham Forest retook the lead in stoppage time. Merrick did well to initially smother Kyle McAdam’s effort one-on-one at close range, but he couldn’t prevent Osong turning the loose ball into the empty net.

Mindful of a fightback, Forest managed to keep us at arm’s length at the beginning of the second half, as we struggled to turn our increasing share of the possession into chances. With 30 minutes remaining we began to threaten again, though.

Richards fired into the side netting following another purposeful run and Jimmy-Jay Morgan’s persistence in the box forced a good save from the keeper, after twice winning the ball back in a scramble around the penalty spot.

Setting up a big finish

However, as we pushed to get level, we instead fell two goals behind. Again there was little Merrick could when Reiss Denny’s clearance fell to Alfie Whitehall just outside the box, as the Forest substitute controlled and volleyed into the top corner.

With 10 minutes left, our own substitute George gave us a route back into the game. It came at the end of a long patient move from the Blues which began with George out by the left touchline, and ended with him striding into the box from the right and hitting a low shot inside the far post.

That saw Chelsea laying siege to the Forest penalty area for long periods at the end of the game, in search of a late equaliser. There was to be no dramatic twist at the death, though, as Castledine and Dyer fired just over the bar from promising positions during a tense seven added minutes.

What it means

This loss drops Chelsea down one place to sixth in the Premier League 2 table, but we remain just six points behind the top two.

What is next

We now head into the March international break, with three weeks until our next league fixture, away at Aston Villa on 5 April.

The teams

Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Max Merrick; Brodi Hughes, Billy Gee (c), Ishe Samuels-Smith; Dylan Williams, Kiano Dyer, Reiss Denny, Diego Moreira; Ronnie Stutter (Richard Olise 90+2), Dujuan Richards (Tyrique George 75); Jimmy-Jay Morgan (Leo Castledine 72)
Unused subs: Teddy Curd, Travis Akomeah
Scorers: Richards 43, George 81
Booked: Stutter 26, Moreira 90+8

Nottingham Forest (3-4-3): Aaron Bott; Jack Thompson, Jamie McDonnell, Justin Hanks (Archie Whitehall 66); Jimmy Sinclair, Zach Abbott, Ben Perry, Kyle McAdam (Ateef Konate 54); Jack Perkins, Detlef Esapa Osong, Jack Nadin
Unused subs: Harry Griffiths, Manni Norkett, Danny Anijsko
Scorers: Nadin 5, Osong 45+2, Whitehall 74
Booked: Thompson 33, Bott 90+5