Nottingham Forest are close to securing their play-off place after taking all three points at Tranmere.

Tranmere dominated the first 45 minutes but it was the away side that went in a goal up at half time, from their only shot on target.

Forest doubled their lead early in the second half and defended well to prevent Tranmere from posing any threat.

Forest struggled to get into the game in the early stages and the home side had most of the possession.

Forest missed a chance after good work by Garath McCleary who won the ball and played it in quickly to Brett Ormerod, but his final effort was poor.

It was almost 15 minutes before Tranmere had a shot on target. It came from Ian Moore, who got away from Sammy Clingan and fired a side-foot shot from six yards out straight at Paul Smith.

And they had another attempt when Shane Sherriff, under pressure from Luke Chambers, fired across the face of goal and out the other side.

The home fans thought they had taken the 20 minutes into the game when the cross was sent over to Chris Greenacre who fired the ball in but the linesman's flag was already up for offside.

Tranmere continued to press forward and when Chris Shuker's cross found Moore it was easily grabbed out of the air by Smith.

Forest were forced to defend again when Shuker got a shot in but James Perch diverted the ball away with his head.

But it was Forest who took the lead, against the run of play, with their first real attempt of the game on 34 minutes. It came from a long ball over the top by Chris Cohen. Nathan Tyson beat a defender, knocked the ball past the keeper and slotted it into an empty net from four yards out.

Tranmere almost got one straight back when the cross came in to Ian Goodison ball but his final effort was tame and the ball went into the side netting.

Tranmere should have done better in the opening minutes of the second half when Sherriff put in a good cross from the left but Shuker's header from the back post went straight to Smith.

As in the first half the home side had all the play but it was Forest that scored once again. From the corner McCleary knocked the ball to Cohen who picked out Wes Morgan at the back post and he sent a bullet of a header past Danny Coyne and into the top corner of the net.

With the game much more evenly matched Tranmere made two substitutions and Kris Commons came on to replace McCleary half way through the second half.

Forest looked comfortable for much of the half without creating very much but they defended in numbers to subdue any threat that Tranmere had.

Tyson made a great break and got away down the right to the edge of the penalty area but, rather than pass back to Brett Ormerod or Commons who had made the run with him, he shot across the face of goal and only just wide of the back post.

Tranmere had their best chance of the half when they made a break and Greenacre put in the cross but Moore's diving heading was just wide.

But the away side struggled to pose any sort of threat in the closing stages and Forest finished the game comfortably in control.

Nottingham Forest: Paul Smith, Ian Breckin(C), Wes Morgan, Julian Bennett, Luke Chambers, James Perch, Sammy Clingan, Chris Cohen, Garath McCleary(Kris Commons, 67min, Brett Ormerod(Matt Thornhill, 82min) Nathan Tyson
Subs not used: Emile Sinclair, Lewis McGugan, Will Hoskins,
Scorer: Tyson 34min, Morgan 52min

Tranmere Rovers: Danny Coyne, Robbie Stockdale, Paul McLaren, Shane Sherriff(Steve Davies 67min), Antony Kay, Ian Moore, Chris Greenacre, Steven Jennings, Ian Goodison (C), Andy Taylor, Chris Shuker(Craig Curran 67min)
Subs not used: John Achterberg (GK), John Mullin, Adnan Ahmed,
Bookings: McLaren 75min, Jennings 84min

Referee: M Haywood
Attendance: 8,689 Away 1,383