The Blues capitulated after Nikola Milenkovic opened the scoring, with Anthony Elanga adding two more goals before the break. Jens Cajuste got one back for Town late on, but substitute Jota Silva killed the game off late on following a quick counter before George Hirst's stoppage-time header.
Ipswich’s first chance came from a set piece. Full-back Neco Williams bundled Omari Hutchinson to the ground just outside the box, with the former Chelsea man stepping up and hitting the wall with his free-kick in the 4th minute.
The two sides struggled to create in the early stages of the match The two sides struggled to create in the early stages of the match (Image: Steve Waller)
Town probably had the better of the chances in the early stages. Liam Delap tried to capitalise on a poor pass from Elliot Anderson, but he failed to get his shot away before Julio Enciso won a corner in the 15th minute. Leif Davis played it short to Hutchinson, who curled a strike onto the roof of the net from the edge of the area.
When Forest found space to attack, they did so with pace and intensity. One of their better chances in the first half came from a corner, where a looped cross to Nicolas Dominguez, who could only flicked it into the gloves of Alex Palmer in the 20th minute.
The game began to open up around the 25th minute, when Delap held onto the ball for too long before being robbed by Morgan Gibbs-White. The visitors launched a counter which saw Callum Hudson-Odoi dink a pass across the face of goal in front of Palmer. The Blues eventually managed to clear the danger.
Nikola Milenkovic's goal opened the floodgates at Portman Road Nikola Milenkovic's goal opened the floodgates at Portman Road (Image: PA)
Forest came again just after the half-hour mark. Gibbs-White’s cross from the right found the head of Chris Wood in the centre of box, but he could only knock it into the gloves of Palmer, who made the save.
It should have been a warning sign for Ipswich, who conceded a corner in the 35th minute. Jacob Greaves was able to clear it, but Ola Aina recycled it into the box, where Delap failed to get it back out, allowing Milenkovic to stab the ball into the net to put his side ahead.
Things quickly went from bad to worse as Anderson sent Elanga down the right flank, where the Sweden international was able to cut onto his left foot and slot a low shot into the bottom corner, putting his side two goals in the 37th minute.
Anthony Elanga scored twice in quick succession to wrap up the win before the half-time break Anthony Elanga scored twice in quick succession to wrap up the win before the half-time break (Image: PA)
Elanga wasn’t done there, capitalising as Milenkovic’s ball from deep bounced awkwardly. The wide man caught Town’s defence napping to run through on goal and fire into the back of the net, making it 3-0 in the 42nd minute.
The first opportunity of the second half fell the way of Delap, who Davis was able to pick out unmarked from a corner. The ball ended up hitting the strikers shoulder, however, bouncing past the post and out of play.
A foul from Kalvin Phillips on Elanga saw him pick up the first booking of the match 10 minutes after the restart. Dominguez joined him shortly after following some theatrics after his foul on Jens Cajuste.
Forest had chances to turn the screw. A poor pass from Phillips allowed substitute Ryan Yates to play Gibbs-White through on goal in the 79th minute, but he fired wide.
Jens Cajuste and George Hirst scored either side of Jota Silva's strike on the counter Jens Cajuste and George Hirst scored either side of Jota Silva's strike on the counter (Image: PA)
The Blues did get one back, however, in the 82nd minute. Cajuste did well to pick the ball up, pirouette past Yates and curl a lovely strike into the top corner from just outside the box, making it 3-1 in the 82nd minute.
To rub salt in the wounds, however, Forest notched another late on. Yates' excellent pass up to Gibbs-White allowed him to run through on goal and square the ball to Jota, who put his side 4-1 up with three minutes to play.
Town did find a late consolation as Dara O'Shea whipped an accurate cross onto the head of substitute Hirst, who diverted the ball into the bottom corner to reduce the deficit in stoppage time.
Their defeat, coupled with Wolves' 2-1 win at Southampton, leaves them nine points from safety with nine games left to play.
Town XI: 4-2-3-1: Palmer; O’Shea, Woolfenden, Greaves (Burgess 46'), Davis; Phillips (Taylor 86'), Cajuste; Philogene (Clarke 80'), Hutchinson, Enciso (Broadhead 80'); Delap (Hirst 80')
Forest XI: 4-2-3-1: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Dominguez (Yates 67'), Anderson; Elanga (Morato 67'), Gibbs-White (Danilo 89'), Hudson-Odoi (Jota 80'); Wood (Awoniyi 80')
Attendance: 29,878 (3,000)