Stuart Pearce credited the Nottingham Forest fans for his team’s 2-1 comeback victory over Norwich City on Saturday, a result that appeared harsh on the visitors.

The Forest boss credited the supporters as being “absolutely sensational, not just to me but they drove the team on to victory today,” and suggested he hasn’t seen “a game this year where our opponents have finished stronger than us.”

Norwich led through Jonny Howson but Forest equalised when Michael Turner let a long ball bounce, eventually allowing Matty Fryatt’s precise cross to be headed home by Britt Assombalonga.

Unsurprisingly, Pearce naturally praised his forward players’ composure. He said: “It showed real cutting edge within the team and that’s why we brought Antonio and Assombalonga here.”

Forest completed the comeback when Antonio claimed a winner deep into stoppage, shooting under John Ruddy after a rapid counter-attack.

Norwich manager Neil Adams admitted that “it is galling, it’s just been thrown away. 

“To be caught from our own corner kick with a couple of minutes of stoppage time left is sickening.”

The Canaries have just one win in eight matches and are winless in their last four away games, unable to convert performances into points, seen today as “in 85 minutes there’s everything we want,” said Adams.

Howson’s goal showed good movement to exchange passes with Russell Martin, before finding the bottom corner, after Forest dominated the opening exchanges.

The goal rocked Forest and Norwich began to dominate, missing a great chance when Lewis Grabban placed a free header wide after good work from Martin.

Grabban tested Karl Darlow again early in the second-half, whilst Assombalonga could only embarrassingly shoot so wide that it went for a throw-in.

However the striker combined with Antonio to gain sweet revenge and Forest’s first win in 11 league matches.