Nottingham Forest began their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 win over their neighbours Notts County at Meadow Lane.

Second-half goals from Ben Brereton and Apostolos Vellios were enough to earn Forest victory on the other side of the Trent as they enjoyed a productive pre-season evening.

Mark Warburton named his two summer signings, Jason Cummings and Barrie McKay, in the starting line-up alongside trialist Andreas Bouchalakis who took his place in the centre of midfield.

Forest fashioned a number of opportunities in the game's opening stages with Cummings a particular threat. The former Hibernian man fizzed a shot wide of goal before he saw an effort blocked at close range by the County defence.

There were further chances for both sides as the first half wore on. Cummings missed a golden opportunity from two yards out while Notts striker Shola Ameobi curled a shot wide of Jordan Smith's right-hand post.

Forest made three changes at the interval and one of those substitutes, Brereton, found the net five minutes into the second half. Jamie Ward's initial shot was well saved by Adam Collin but Mustapha Carayol pulled the ball back for Brereton who was there to sidefoot the ball into the back of the net.

The game lost any momentum it had as both teams made a raft of substitutions during the second half but with two minutes left on the clock, Forest sealed the win through Vellios.

Carayol made his way to the byline and delivered a low cross which the Greek striker was able to stab into the net from close range past the despairing dive of County's new trialist goalkeeper.

With two goals, a clean sheet and no obvious injuries sustained, this was the perfect start to The Reds' pre-season schedule ahead of Saturday's trip to Mansfield Town (kick-off 3pm).

Forest: Smith, Mills, Traore, McKay, Osborn, Clough, Ward, Bouchalakis, Cummings, Cash, Worrall

Subs: Evtimov, Carayol, Hobbs, Lam, Walker, Vellios, Brereton, Edser

Notts County: Collin, Tootle, Jones, Hewitt, Duffy, Hollis, Alessandra, Trialist, Ameobi, Stead, Hawkridge

Subs: Trialist, Milsom, Forte, Saunders, Dickinson, Smith, Hodge, Howes, Dearle, Richards, Dunn

Attendance: 12,209 (6,097 away)

Referee: James Adcock