Andy Liddell opened his account for Sheffield United, grabbing his first goal since his move from Wigan in the summer, before David Johnson grabbed an equaliser for Nottingham Forest five minutes from time.
The 31-year-old midfielder, struck midway through the opening half with an eye-catching free-kick before the Bramall Lane side were down to ten men for the second successive game, Alan Quinn red-carded three minutes before the interval.
United almost snatched the lead after just three minutes as Paul Shaw sliced Forest apart with a slick pass to Liddell.
He finished with a stinging left-foot strike which beat Paul Gerrard, the ball crashing against the foot of the post before Michael Dawson cleared.
Danny Cadamarteri steamed in and almost squeezed the ball in from the tightest of angles before Forest squandered a half chance, Johnson stretching to reach Paul Evans' precise corner as he headed over the top.
Forest were ripped apart again after Mathieu Louis-Jean blundered 15 yards out, midfielder Quinn pounced, but dragged the ball wide of the far post.
The Championship strugglers caught United on the break after 13 minutes, Louis-Jean, in space on the right flank, picking out the unmarked Johnson whose header from six yards was on target but lacked power as Paddy Kenny tidied up.
The United keeper foiled Forest minutes later as a loose clearance fell nicely for Evans, lurking on the edge of the area. The little midfielder drilled in a low angled strike through a packed area with Kenny moving to his left to punch the ball away.
United broke the deadlock in the26th minute after Andrew Impey brought down Cadamarteri from behind. The Forest midfielder picked up a booking as Liddell produced a stunning free-kick from 22 yards squeezing the ball into the left-hand corner.
Centre-back Phil Jagielka should have grabbed a second five minutes later as he charged in to connect with a Liddell corner before heading wildly over the bar from eight yards.
Battling Forest earned another corner as they looked for a way back, the ball was cleared to the waiting Marlon King, who unleashed a stunning shot but with Kenny beaten the ball crashed against the post and flew across the face of the goal to safety.
United were down to ten men in the 42nd minute, Quinn sent off for a rash challenge on Dawson.
Johnson struck after Kenny had palmed out King's low shot, before Impey was red-carded in the dying seconds for a second bookable offence.