Nottingham Forest's season ended in defeat after the Reds lost 2-1 to Preston North End at the City Ground this afternoon.

The Reds took the lead through a fabulous James Garner strike in the first half, but goals from Tom Bayliss and Liam Lindsay turned the game on its head on Trentside.

Chances were presented to both sides in the early stages of the contest. Ryan Yates fizzed a shot narrowly wide from 25 yards on four minutes, and then Ched Evans headed onto the roof of the net after Brice Samba failed to claim a cross.

But it was Forest who began to assert their dominance on the game, and the Reds took a deserved 1-0 lead on 17 minutes.

Clever build-up play resulted in Filip Krovinovic rolling the ball into James Garner's path, and the Manchester United loanee took one touch before finding the top corner from 25 yards with an exquisite curling effort, leaving Daniel Iversen with no chance of keeping out.

Krovinovic had wasted a golden chance before turning provider, too, curling a shot high and wide from inside the area after the ball dropped kindly for him.

Anthony Knockaert was the next to threaten from distance once again on 36 minutes, driving inside from the right and firing a left-footed effort wide of Iversen's post as the Reds searched for a second goal before the interval.

Chris Hughton made the decision to start both Lyle Taylor and Lewis Grabban this afternoon, with the latter taking up more of a deeper role in the number 10 position. The onus was on Taylor to run the channels, then, and after real determination, he found the back of the net after winning a corner. The goal was disallowed, much to the striker's frustration, after Joe Worrall was adjudged to have committed a foul.

The half-time whistle blew, with Frankie McAvoy undoubtedly looking for an improvement from his North End side in the second half.

But the Reds had a golden opportunity to double their lead shortly after the interval. The hosts caught North End napping on halfway, culminating in a four-on-two counter-attack. Knockaert was leading it, and his pass was played through to Krovinovic who failed to hit the target with Grabban and Cyrus Christie either side of him.

Two minutes later, the visitors made Forest pay for that missed chance.

Scott Sinclair broke into the box with speed, and even though his shot was scuffed, Tom Bayliss was on hand to mark only his second league start of the season with a goal, tapping into an empty net on the line.

Forest searched for a response with the tricky Knockaert driving inside and supplying Yates, who curled an effort wide of the post once again. Taylor was the next to threaten from a similar position, too, after Krovinovic dispossessed Jordan Storey in a dangerous area.

But on 67 minutes, North End were to complete the turnaround. A cross was sent to the back post for Evans to head back across goal, with Liam Lindsay rising highest to fire past Samba. The goal was eventually given after a word between referee Darren Bond and his linesman, who had flagged in the build-up, leaving Chris Hughton and his backroom staff furious.

North End almost found a third goal soon after, as well. Evans was proving to be a nuisance once again, firing a dangerous low shot at goal which had to be tipped behind for a corner by Samba.

Alex Mighten was introduced for Forest on 74 minutes as the Reds searched for a response, as was Glenn Murray, who replaced Grabban, but chances were few and far between for the hosts the latter stages of the contest.

And, after four minutes were added on at the end of the match, despite a minor penalty appeal when Mighten went over inside the box, the full-time whistle blew. Forest ending the season winless in their last six games, and North End ending the season with four wins on the bounce.

Work needed to be done for Forest in the summer, after finishing 17th in a season which promised so much in the summer.