A spectacular strike from substitute Matt Derbyshire helped Nottingham Forest beat Leeds United 2-1 and claim back-to-back Sky Bet Championship wins for the first time since August.

Derbyshire’s 25-yard stunner secured a hard-fought victory that followed up the the Boxing Day success over QPR, condeming United to their first defeat in six games.

The Whites looked to have secured a point when Ross McCormack fired home in the 83rd minute to cancel out Greg Halford’s first-half header – but Derbyshire came up with his match-winner only a minute later.

It left Forest only five points behind second-placed Derby in the Sky Bet Championship table.

Leeds almost made a nightmare start as Tom Lees fed a short back pass to Paddy Kenny in the first 30 seconds, leaving Halford to chase through. The keeper just managed to beat the striker in the race for the ball.

When Michael Brown brought down Andy Reid crudely for the second time in the game in the 23rd minute – the Leeds man was booked – Forest inflicted further punishment.

Reid regained his feet to deliver a precise ball to the far post, where Halford rose to plant a towering header back across goal and into the net.

Two minutes later and it might have been 2-0 to the home side, with Reid seeing a dipping shot skim the roof of the net.

Reid was unlucky not to score when he smashed a spectacular effort against the outside of a post. Leeds almost immediately charged up the other end of the pitch to equalise.

Following a melee in the box, the ball broke for McCormack and he lashed a low shot inside the post. But, almost straight from the kick-off, Forest were ahead again through Derbyshire.