Trying to follow-up their weekend win over Leeds United, Forest were beaten by The Addicks as Lyle Taylor condemned The Reds to a rare home loss after his 24th-minute goal proved to be decisive.
Joe Lolley saw a lot of the ball in the early stages at The City Ground despite a bright start from the visitors but Lolley was giving Charlton issues with his direct running.
It was Brice Samba who was forced into action first, as he aimed for a 13th clean sheet of the season. Alfie Doughty aimed a shot towards the near post of Samba’s goal but the in-form Forest stopper was alert to the attempt and tipped the ball over the bar from close range.
Forest were becoming unsettled on the night and it was proven inside half an hour. Taylor opened the scoring after a cross from Naby Sarr was whipped into the forward and he netted his ninth of the season. The goal came from an interception through Sarr who read the play brilliantly to dispossess Carl Jenkinson as he aimed to find Lolley inside the Forest half.
Moments after the opener, The Reds almost had an instant reply. Lolley was once again working hard down the right hand-side when a left-foot shot deflected onto the bar by Sarr and it bounced behind for a Forest corner.
Five minutes before the interval, Tyler Walker went inches away from two goals in two games since his return from his loan at Lincoln. Debutant Adama Diakhaby lofted a cross into the path of the Nottingham-born forward who failed to find the target due to the acute angle.
The hour mark approached at The City Ground and the game was becoming scrappy. Both sides were enduring mistakes which led to counter-attacking football. The stuttering game suited Lee Bowyer and Charlton due to the disruption it was causing the Forest players and fans alike.
Sabri Lamouchi turned to his bench in the hope of salvaging at least a point inside 70 minutes. All three substitutions were made with at least 20 minutes left on the clock, including going two up-front with the introduction of Nuno Da Costa to partner Walker.
The introduction of Matty Cash was noticeable on the right-flank. The full-back received the ball from Ben Watson before firing a low cross into the path of Walker. The 23-year-old failed to make any venomous contact with the ball after failing to trouble Dillon Phillips, who gathered in his midriff.
There were 10 minutes to play at The City Ground when Lolley stood over a free-kick from the right-hand side of the opposing goal. An in-swinging cross was delivered into the Charlton box but substitute Alfa Semedo couldn’t find any contact to take the ball away from Phillips, who collected with ease.
With additional time approaching, Charlton were looking to shut the door. Lamouchi was becoming an animated figure on the touchline, after several Forest attacks were cut short. The City Ground started to empty and along with their team, Forest seemed to run out of ideas.
Forest: Samba, Jenkinson, Worrall, Figueiredo, Bong (Cash 59'), Watson (c), Yates (da Costa 69'), Silva (Semedo 59'), Diakhaby, Lolley, Walker
Unused subs: Muric, Carvalho, Dawson, Mighten
Bookings: Diakhaby 47', da Costa 86'
Charlton: Phillips, Matthews, Lockyer, Pearce (c), Sarr, Doughty (Purrington 60'), Cullen, Davis, Oztumer (McGeady 59'), Hemed (Smith 73'), Taylor
Unused subs: Amos, Oshilaja, Aneke, Bonne
Goal: Taylor 24'
Bookings: Davis 21', Cullen 66', Smith 90', Phillips 90'
Referee: Darren Bond
Attendance: 28,029 (805 away)