With a seven-goal thriller at Turf Moor in the Premier League yesterday, this game threatened to reach a similar level of chaos, with three goals inside the opening 15 minutes.
However, after Welbeck's goal reinstated Albion's lead, it was the home side who controlled the pace of the game throughout against a Forest side just three days removed from a gruelling Europa League clash with Fenerbache, seeing Brighton earn back-to-back wins in the league for the first time since their win over Forest in the reverse fixture in November.
Story of the Match
Team News
Fabian Hurzeler unsurprisingly stuck with the same XI that earned a crucial win away at high flying Brentford last time out, including a third consecutive Premier League start for 40 year old James Milner in the heart of midfield.
As for Forest, a whopping seven changes made from their Europa League playoff second leg against Fenerbache, but just one alteration from the last Premier League outing after the concession of an agonising late winner against Liverpool. Belgian goalkeeper Matz Sels returned between the sticks to replace Stefan Ortega after a month out with injury.
The Match
A contest with plenty at stake witnessed a break neck opening quarter of an hour, with the hosts taking an early lead courtesy of a Diego Gomez strike.
A simple dinked ball down the right hand side was misread by Neco Williams, allowing Gomez to nip in and play it back onto the edge of the area to Pascal Gross, who nodded it back down to the Paraguayan on the right hand edge of the area, allowing him to drill it into the bottom corner first time. Sels got a hand too the effort but couldn't prevent it squirming past him.
Outside Europa League's progression, Forest's intestinal fortitude has been tested in this relegation battle, but they were able to respond just seven minutes after going behind in this game.
A simple pass down the line was dummied through the legs of both Igor Jesus and Callum Hudson-Odoi, taking Hinshelwood and Wieffer out of the equation and allowing Jesus to stride towards the left hand corner of the area. The ball was fizzed back across the edge of the area, brought under control by Morgan Gibbs-White who cut across his strike as it sat up, seeing it sail past Verbruggen.
Forest had barely finished celebrating before they found themselves behind again. Kaoru Mitoma stood a lofty cross up towards Hinshelwood who, with limited options, cushioned the header back to Welbeck, who set the ball out his feet past Murillo and fires it past Sels from just outside the six yard box. At 35 years of age, Welbeck's strike took him into double figures for consecutive seasons, raising the question as to whether he could well be a dark horse for England's World Cup squad come the summer.
Mitoma and Welbeck linked up once more just three minutes later with a give and go on the edge of the area, seeing the Japanese international one on one with Sels, only for his effort to be charged down by the keeper.
Brighton in full control
Forest meandred midway through the first half, allowing Brighton to knock the ball around comfortably under very little pressure. It was the home side who looked the more likely to add to their tally, with Hinshelwood's header from a Van Hecke cross forcing a good save.
Despite being on the back foot, Forest did break at the end of the first half with Hudson-Odoi cutting onto his right foot inside the area and seeing his goal-bound effort deflected over the bar.
Contrary to the first half, the opening quarter of an hour in the second half was relatively uneventful, with the hosts happy to dictate the pace of the game.
Forest hanging in there -
However, as the second half wore on, there was an air of uncertainty for Brighton who, for all their dominance, couldn't finish the game off with a third goal. This was in spite of the fact that Forest looked increasingly more leggy after their European exploits.
Forest were allowed to maintain hope, and had chances with two headed efforts from Gibbs-White and substitute Awoniyi offering warning signs.
Despite late pressure, Brighton limited Forest to half-chances and saw out a well-earned win in front of their home fans, pushing them ever closer to the European places.
Forest move to four without a win in the Premier League, and continue to peer over their shoulder at West Ham in the drop zone.
Player of the Match - Danny Welbeck:
It was a cool finish from the former Manchester United and Arsenal man that proved the difference, continuing his impressive career Indian Summer as Brighton's front man.
Just moments later, Welbeck played a deft one two with Mitoma which would have given Forest a mountain to climb had Mitoma's effort not been swarmed by Sels.