Paul McKenna against his former club, Dele Adebola and Lewis McGugan did the damage to leave the Reds firmly in the hunt for automatic promotion.
Boss Billy Davies may no longer be able to calm expectations around the City Ground after 21,500 and a live TV audience saw his side notch up a 14th game unbeaten with a comfortable success against one of his former clubs.
Forest fans will now travel to Watford on Boxing Day barely believing that one year earlier they were watching Doncaster race into a four-goal lead on the banks of the Trent in a game that would spell the end for Colin Calderwood.