Nigel Clough brought back Craig Bryson after recovering from a knee injury and Jamie Ward for his first start since the corresponding fixture at the City Ground.
The early minutes saw Derby setting off quickly and keeping the ball in their opponents half. Bryson saw an early effort go wide and Ward saw a free kick deflected out.
Forest seem to wake up after the quarter hour mark when Simon Cox saw his effort tipped onto the crossbar by Adam Legzdins. There after they started to take the game to Derby and began to get on top.
Their persistence paid off in the 31st minute when Billy Sharp beat Gareth Roberts to cross in from the right, the ball found Cohen who slotted the ball in at the second attempt after his first effort was miss hit.
The visitors went in at the break having had the better half, showing more in midfield. Sammon looked isolated up front on his own as Ward was playing a wide left position and not getting much change out of Jara.
The second half saw the Rams looking more determined and in the 52nd minute Sammon robbed an indecisive Gillett for the ball, the Forest defence seeming a little confused in what to do with Ward and Collins failing to get a decisive tackle in and Sammon knocked the ball to his right letting Ward shoot from close range and equalise.
Minutes later Darlow pulled off a good save to deny Hendrick and both Roberts and O'Brien saw chances easily denied by the young keeper.
The second half was more even, but Billy Sharp wasted a chance to seal the game six minutes from the end when his close range effort was blasted wide.
Neither side can grumble too much at the end result. Possession was evenly split, Derby had more shots, but Forest probably had the better chances.
Unlike previous meetings, there was little need for the referee, Mark Clattenburg to do! He officiated well and there was no major controversy.
The lesson for Derby is that 4-5-1 is not a formation that they play with great effect, especially with teams that utilise a defensive midfielder in front of the back four!
Derby County: Legzdins; Brayford, Keogh, O'Brien, Roberts; Coutts, Hughes, Hendrick, Bryson (Jacobs 75); Ward (Robinson 66), Sammon.
Subs Not Used: Fielding, O'Connor, Freeman, Bennett, Davies.
Nottingham Forest: Darlow, Jara, E. Ward, Collins, Halford; Lansbury, Gillett (Moussi 63), Cohen, Majewski (Blackstock 62); Sharp, Cox.
Subs Not Used: Etimov, Maloney, Greening, McGugan, Harding.
Man of the match - Jeff Hendrick Derby / Chris Cohen Forest
Attendance: 33,010 (4,228 visiting supporters).
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