Nottingham Forest 1-2 Burnley: Graham Alexander at the double to thwart Colin Calderwood

Veteran defender Graham Alexander added the role of executioner-in-chief to his new position in central midfield to fire Burnley to their first win of the season.

The 36-year-old full-back, playing out of position to add much needed steel to midfield, scored a brace to cap an inspired individual performance.

Alexander's two goals ensured he ended a week on a high, having being dropped from the Scottish team for the midweek match in Iceland.

But Burnley boss Owen Coyle was delighted to reap the rewards of Alexander having fresh legs, especially as the Clarets had been slow to kick-start their season prior to yesterday.

"He's been with Scotland all week and finished it as our match-winner," said Coyle. "In the first 10 minutes he got caught out but he got stronger as the game wore on.

"Forest have a fantastic home record but we did well and definitely deserved the three points."

Burnley's recovery from a shaky start - Forest striker Nathan Tyson, set up by Chris Cohen's through-ball, should have scored -coincided with Alexander finding his feet with a superb goal.

After Steven Thompson had fouled Guy Moussi, Alexander curled in a 25- yard free-kick for his first goal of the season.

His second followed, but only after Rob Earnshaw's equaliser. Clarets midfielder Chris McCann headed Lee Martin's freekick against his own crossbar, with the ball hitting Earnshaw's knee before crossing the line.

Forest deserved their good fortune but lady luck shone on the visitors for what proved to be the decisive goal.

Referee Clive Penton pointed to the spot after Wes Morgan handled substitute Ade Akinbiyi's shot-come-pull-back for a controversial penalty.

The home defence disputed what appeared to be a harsh decision, but Alexander was in no mood for sympathy and gave Paul Smith no chance with a thunderous spot-kick.

Forest boss Colin Calderwood was equally baffled by Morgan's fury, and said: "I've no complaints about the freekick for their first goal, but I think the ref's probably got the penalty wrong.

"It seemed a bit unjust.

I'm going to speak to the referee to clarify what the rule is.

"Apart from that we didn't do too much wrong. It was a good performance."

HOW THEY RATED

N FOREST BURNLEY

N FOREST

5 Smith

6 Chambers

6 Morgan

6 Wilson

6 Heath

6 Martin

6 Perch

6 Moussi

8 Cohen

5 Tyson

7 Earnshaw

BURNLEY

Jenson 6

Alexander 7

Anderson 6

Caldwell 6

Carlisle 6

Jordan 6

Elliott 5

McDonald 5

McCann 7

Thompson 5

Paterson 6

SUBSTITUTES

Cole 4 (Heath),

McLeary 4 (Chambers

Gudjonsson 5

(McDonald),

Akinbiyi 6 (Thompson)

MANAGERS

6 CALDERWOOD COYLE 7

MAN OF THE MATCH

8

CHRIS COHEN

Creative display in central midfield

Referee: Clive Penton 6