SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY refused to preoccupy themselves with this weekend's FA Cup quarter-final by stretching their impressive run at the City Ground last night.

Two goals by Benito Carbone and Regi Blinker in the space of six second-half minutes made it just one defeat in 22 games for David Pleat's largely unsung players.

Joe Kinnear, manager of Cup opponents Wimbledon, could not fail to have been impressed as he saw Wednesday switch concentrated defence into flowing attack in a thrilling second-half showing.

Forest, who had looked so positive earlier in the game, suffered further misery when Carbone added his second goal in the 87th minute after substitute Ritchie Humphreys had seen his shot rebound off Mark Crossley.

The wave of survival optimism that last week's takeover generated in Saturday's win at White Hart Lane was again evident in Forest's play.

Stuart Pearce, as if to illustrate that his influence burns as fiercely as ever amid Forest's changes, was the focal point of many of their attacks, but Wednesday's organisation and defensive composure made sure that chances were restricted.

Forest did have the ball in the net after nine minutes, when Scott Gemmill's in-swinging corner was headed into his own net by Andy Booth, but the referee decided the calamity would not have occurred but for pushing.

Wednesday were content to soak up the frenzied Forest pressure to such an extent that Mark Crossley hardly touched the ball in the first half but it wasn't as if Kevin Pressman was exactly overworked at the other end.

Weight of defensive numbers - an established Wednesday trait - denied Haaland in a frantic goalmouth melee and then Ian Nolan produced an exceptional tackle to rob Brian Roy.

The game was transformed in the 13 minutes immediately after half-time with Wednesday breaking out of their defensive shell to stun Forest with a decisive, two-goal assault. It was a dreadful back pass by Roy that ignited Wednesday. Carbone, a substitute for the injured David Hirst, fastened onto it with glee and slid the ball home after 52 minutes.

Six minutes later Forest were in total disarray at the back when Booth was allowed to hit the byline and cut the ball back for Blinker to make the most of an inviting chance from 12, yards.