Billy Davies makes two changes from the side that drew with Ipswich on Friday, with Day and Lewis coming in for Ward and Davidson.
Chris Day makes his first start since signing on a month's loan from QPR, with Chris Neal being named on the bench, while Lewis returns from a one match ban but Dickson Etuhu misses out with flu.
WIth just two minutes on the clock Preston were awarded a free kick just on the edge of the box after Chris Sedgwick is felled but Eddie Lewis' spot kick is hit straight at the Forest wall.
Just a minute later Yaul Mawene has a header saved by Gerrard from the first corner of the match.
Day saw his first taste of the action of 7 minutes saving smartly from Taylor at his far post but the referee had already blown for a foul by Darryl Powell.
The new arrival made a superb save on 12 minutes to deny Kris Commons an opener for the home side. The former Stoke City man struck an excellent free kick from 35 yards out but Day rose well to tip the ball over the cross bar. Considering he only met his new teammates today the former England U21 goalkeeper was very vocal in the North End goal and no doubt kept his defence on their toes.
Eddie Lewis almost marked his return from suspension five minutes later, driving a shot against the outside the post, after good play from Paul McKenna through the middle.
With just 21 minutes on the clock North End had already had seven corners, with it looking more a case of when and not if the goal would come. Paul McKenna the latest to go close after Gerrard only punched the corner half clear and the ball fell to him on the edge of the box, but his fizzing shot flew over the bar.
Forest were restricted to long range efforts in the early part of the match as they struggled to break down the North End back four, James Perch firing wide on 26 minutes after he found himself space outside the area.
A minute later Youl Mawene did well to head clear under pressure from Taylor, who was rising at the far post to reach a right wing cross from Friio. The Preston number 15 did just enough ro clear the danger and Day collected when the ball was sent back in to the danger zone.
On 32 minutes Sedgewick forced Gerrard in to a save low down to his left, but the former Everton keeper took it easily at his near post.
Just a minute after firing a shot just over Kris Commons forced another good save from Day, with a blistering shot from the right edge of the area. The ball was slid through and Commons raced onto it, hitting it first time but Day reacted well to block the shot and put it behind for a corner.
SECOND HALF
By the time the players came out for the second half the snow was falling heavily and the temperature plummeting, proving the weather forecasters right for once.
The conditions didn't seem to faze the players and with just six minutes on the clock in the second half, Richard Cresswell went close, with a glancing touch onto a left wing cross rom Sedgewick, but Gerrard got down quickly to block it at the second attempt.
At the other end Gareth Taylor forced a good save from Day with a well hit shot from the edge of the area. While Forest were preparing to take the resulting free kick, Megson made a double substitution, Evans and Johnson replacing Rogers and Perch.
As the temperatures plummeted the tempo of the game soared and Eddie Lewis saw a shot deflected wide on 57 minutes. The American's shot looked to have Gerrard beaten at his far post but thankfully for him Andy Melville got a touch to put the ball behind for another PNE corner.
David Nugent was unlucky not to add to his tally on 62 minutes, as North End capitalised on a loose pass from Wes Morgan but after beating his first man with ease he overran the ball and Gerrard was quick off his line to save at Nugent's feet.
That turned out to be the Preston striker's last real taste of the action as he was replaced by Patrick Agyemang on 68 minutes.
John Curtis was forced to put the ball behind for another corner four minutes later as Sedgwick made up ground on the right, his low right wing cross was heading for Cresswell in the middle before the former PNE loanee got a toe on the ball to send it behind.
It was hearts in the mouths stuff at the other end as Day raced off his line to try to beat Johnson to the ball, the Forest striker went past him and then tripped claiming to have been touched by Day, but the referee made the right decision and waved play on.
Gerrard made a terrific stop from Lewis on 76 minutes, just blocking his shot with his foot to put the ball behind, the resulting corner was easily cleared at the near post.
GOAL!!! Forest took an undeserved lead on 78 minutes, Paul Evans heading home a left wing cross from Kris Commons. The left winger had been at the ncentre of everything that Forest did and the cross sat up nicely for Evans, on as a second half sub and his header gave Day no chance.
GOAL!!! Four minutes later Commons got one for himself with a superb strike from 25 yards out. He looked up saw Day off his line and hit an equisite lob into the top right hand corner. So with just eight minutes left Preston have a lot to do to keep their unbeaten run in tact.
North End were awarded a free kick just outside the box, much to the annoyance of Gary Megson and the Forest fans but they couldn't make it count, hitting the ball straight against the wall. In the meantime Claude Davis replaced Matthew Hill.
Kris Commons left the field to a standing ovation, when he was replaced by John Thompson in injury time, quite appropriate as he scored one and created another to give Forest their first league win since New Years Day.
Preston North End: Day, Alexander, Mawene, Lucketti, Hill (Davis 85), Sedgwick, O'Neill, McKenna, Lewis, Cresswell, Nugent (Agyemang 68).
Subs: Neal, Davidson, Smith, Agyemang, Davis
Nottingham Forest: Gerrard, Rogers (Evans 53), Morgan, Powell, Friio, Taylor, Doig, Commons (Thompson 90), Curtis, Perch (Johnson 53), Melville
Subs: Doyle, Thompson, Evans, Johnson, King
Attendance: 19,209
