The Reds made four changes to the starting XI that won 2-0 at Northampton, with Brice Samba, Loic Mbe Soh, Jack Colback and Brennan Johnson all getting the opportunity for more pre-season minutes.
After just six minutes, a spell of Forest pressure resulted in Joe Lolley crashing a shot against the crossbar from the corner of the box with Dave Richards in the Crewe goal well beaten.
Five minutes later, Samba was forced into his first save of the match, beating away a 20 yard shot from Callum Ainley.
Midway through the first half, Charlie Kirk shot narrowly wide for Crewe after Christopher Long got behind the Forest defence.
However, after 30 minutes, Forest took the lead. Lolley’s swerving shot from the edge of the box was only parried by Richards and Johnson reacted quickest to bundle the ball home from close range.
On 35 minutes, Lolley again cut in from the right and sent a firm drive over the bar as Forest’s ascendancy grew. Moments later, patient approach eventually gave Colback an opening in the box but his shot was deflected onto the roof of the net for a corner.
HT: Crewe 0 Forest 1
Jordan Gabriel and Johnson twice linked up neatly down the right hand side as Forest started the second half brightly, before Ryan Yates’ header went narrowly wide from a dangerous Joe Lolley free kick.
Samba then released Johnson straight from a Crewe corner and he progressed the length of the pitch before being challenged by Kayne Ramsey as he entered the penalty box.
Trickery by Alex Mighten on the left gave Forest a free kick and from Lolley’s resultant delivery, Scott McKenna, Yates and Mighten all had clear chances to score around the six yard box, with McKenna’s initial header cleared off the line.
Just before the hour mark, Forest doubled their lead. Lolley intercepted on halfway before releasing Johnson on the right who cut inside and curled a crisp 20 yard strike into the bottom left hand corner of the net for his second of the match.
Moments later, Johnson was replaced by Lyle Taylor, with Lewis Grabban taking the number 10 position, and Gaeten Bong made his first pre-season appearance replacing Mbe Soh.
Ramsey curled an effort just wide from inside the box in the 70th minute forth hosts, before good work from Grabban twice provided shooting opportunities but efforts from Mighten and Taylor were saved by Richards.
Then, against the run of play, Crewe unexpectedly scored a quick double to level the scores.
After 75 minutes, Ainley drifted into the box and drilled a composed low shot into the far corner leaving Samba with no chance.
And just three minutes later were Crewe level when Rio Adebisi cut inside on the right on curled a delightful shot into the same corner of Samba’s net.
Moments later, Crewe nearly took the lead when only last ditch tackle by Joe Worrall prevented a clear shot after a slip by substitute Baba Fernandes.
FT: Crewe 2 Forest 2
MATCH STATISTICS
Forest starting XI: Brice Samba; Loic Mbe Soh (Gaeten Bong 61’), Joe Worrall, Scott McKenna (Baba Fernandes 76’), Jordan Gabriel (Fin Back 83’); Jack Colback, Ryan Yates; Joe Lolley (Joao Carvalho 76’), Brennan Johnson (Lyle Taylor 61’), Alex Mighten (Cafu 76’); Lewis Grabban (c)
Subs not used: Jordan Smith, Jayden Richardson, Tyrese Fornah, Ateef Konate, Will Swan
Goals: Johnson (30’, 58’)
Attendance: 1,813, including 707 Forest fans