Brighton & Hove Albion will be in the Championship playoffs after a late goal gave them a 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Leonardo Ulloa scored the vital goal in stoppage time to pip Reading to the final spot in a dramatic afternoon of football in England's second tier.

It was Thomas Kuszczak's mistake that gifted the home side the lead when Matt Derbyshire headed straight at the keeper before he fumbled it into the net after 22 minutes.

David Vaughan of Nottingham Forest tackled by Inigo Calderon of Brighton & Hove Albion during the Sky Bet Championship match on May 3, 2014 © Getty Images

Ulloa spurned a great chance in the early stages when he broke clear of the Forest defence. The South American could only fire at Dorus de Vries in the Forest goal.

Ulloa had the ball in the net for Oscar Garcia's side but he was flagged offside after a close-range finish just before the half-hour mark.

Brighton were back in it seven minutes after the restart when Stephen Ward eventually drilled it into the far corner after a goalmouth scramble.

Leonardo Ulloa of Brighton & Hove Albion celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Sky Bet Championship match against Nottingham Forest on May 3, 2014 © Getty Images

Stephen McLaughlin had a stinging drive turned away by Kuszczak as Forest pushed for a second goal on the hour mark, and then Brighton couldn't make the most of another goalmouth scramble late on.

With Brighton seemingly set to miss out on the final playoff place, Ulloa popped up in stoppage time with a close-range header to give his side the crucial three points.