Ings, undoubtedly the man of the match, got his first right on half time and it is up there as a real contender as his best goal in Burnley colours, and that's saying something given his goal at Derby on the last day of August.
There was no long run this time, just a great ability to bring a looping, deflected ball from Kieran Trippier under control on the edge of the box before turning to half volley a terrific shot into the corner of the net.
His second, and what proved to be the winner, was very much a training ground routine as he flicked a header beyond goalkeeper Dorus De Vries from a perfect Junior Stanislas free kick.
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| Two more goals for Danny Ings |
Stanislas came into the team as one of four changes. We knew David Jones would be out and his place went to David Edgar. Kevin Long was given a game alongside Jason Shackell in the centre of defence, leaving Michael Duff with a few days longer to wait before making his 300th Burnley appearance.
Stanislas played on the left of the pitch and Keith Treacy came in to play on the right with both loan signing Michael Kightly and Scott Arfield taking their places on the bench.
Burnley's bright start to games has been a talking point in the last few days. In league and cup we've only once gone behind, that was the 2-0 defeat at Brighton, and we've got ourselves in front relatively early in a number of games.
Once it becomes a talking point then sod's law says it will change, and it did last night. Maybe it was the changes; I certainly think the absent Jones had something to do with it, but we weren't ourselves in the opening period of the game.
Generally it was a slow start to the game but the much changed Forest team looked the more comfortable. They weren't unduly concerning us but there was little, attack wise, for us to enthuse over.
Forest looked the more likely of the two and had a couple of half chances but the game was lacking some spark in the opening twenty minutes or so.
It's often said that this sort of game needs a goal and that's exactly what sparked this one into life. It came Forest's way as they became the first visiting team to take the lead at Turf Moor since Cardiff towards the end of last season.
Jamie Paterson, playing down the left, got the better of Trippier, came into the box with the ball and played it towards the near post. Dexter Blackstock was first there but his effort was blocked. Fortunately for Forest it rebounded to Matt Derbyshire and he fired it in high into the roof of the net.
It was, as it turned out, just what we needed. We'd not really threatened the Forest goal at this point but almost immediately we forced Dorus De Vries into his first meaningful save as he clawed out a Stanislas header after some great work down the left from Ings and Treacy.
The game was changing. De Vries had done well to keep out the header but he was very luck when a Vokes header went just wide from another great delivery into the box from Treacy. Vokes did ever so well to reach it and his glancing header wasn't too far wide.
It was getting better but another midfield injury forced a substitution just past the half hour. Dean Marney went down with a tight calf. We didn't hesitate; Brian Stock was on as quickly as we could get him on to partner Edgar in the midfield.
With half time close we were still behind, and the game might have been so much different had we gone in at half time with that scoreline. But then came that brilliant Ings goal. It's great technique; it's a wonderful finish and this just after I'd screamed at Trippier to get the ball wide to Treacy and not just knock it forward.
Ings, who had already been the victim of two very poor challenges from Forest players, had turned the game our way, and he was to do it again in the second half.
We looked more assured at the start of the second half but goalmouth incident was hard to come by. I'd started to think it might be one of those long nights with an extra half hour and maybe penalties - and penalties without Brian Jensen.
Then it all changed. The game came to life with a Treacy run down the right. He burst past the full back before seeing his cross shot saved well by De Vries.
It seemed to lift our performance before a Trippier mistake all but handed it to Forest. Inexplicably he tried to find Tom Heaton with a back header that was never going to go anywhere near. Derbyshire was onto it and only he will know how he didn't score his second of the night.
Somehow he managed to miss the gaping target in front of him, much to the delight of the home fans he'd chosen to wind up with his post-goal antics in the first half, and that miss was compounded two minutes later when we scored the winner.
Vokes won us a free kick down the left. Stanislas' delivery was perfect as was the Ings' header and Burnley were in front.
Burnley pushed for a third. Trippier went on a mazy run only to be robbed of the ball at the last minute. He was involved in another good attack but when played in his cross was too deep. Treacy again twice came close, curling one just wide and then seeing De Vries save well again.
Another goal then and it was all over, but it didn't come and Forest did put in a challenge. Their best effort was from substitute Ishmael Miller which Heaton saved well and in the end we played out the last few minutes with no problems at all to ease our way into the last sixteen.
Manager Sean Dyche said last week that you have to find different ways to win football matches and we did last night. The last time we came from behind to win was against Bristol City last season, and the last time we did it in a cup tie was at Port Vale in August last year.
Overall it was an enjoyable experience but I have to say I'll be delighted to get back to my usual seat in the Longside on Saturday. I was in the Bob Lord last night and I can't recall a game for a long time where I've heard such moaning and negativity. Every little mistake was berated by some, and loudly, although I did smile at the suggestion from the man behind who thought the young teenage prospect who came on as a substitute did well. He was referring to Stock.
I suppose I shouldn't complain. I was treated to the Billy Davies show as well. I've never seen him at such close quarters before. He really is an obnoxious little man and I'm sure was the major influence in some of the unnecessary challenges from his players that landed them three yellow cards which, on another night, could have been worse for them.
On a night of success for Premier League clubs we are currently just one of two Football League clubs through to the fourth round, and getting through was the target when we kicked off last night.
As Little Billy would say - JOB DONE.
The teams were;
Burnley: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Kevin Long, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, Keith Treacy (Scott Arfield 83), Dean Marney (Brian Stock 34), David Edgar, Junior Stanislas, Danny Ings, Sam Vokes (Michael Kightly 88). Subs not used: Alex Cisak, Luke O'Neill, Danny Lafferty, Ryan Noble.
Yellow Card: Junior Stanislas.
Nottingham Forest: Dorus De Vries, Gonzalo Jara, Jamaal Lascelles, Danny Collins, Dan Harding, Guy Moussi (Chris Cohen 64), Jamie Paterson, Simon Gillett, Radoslaw Majewski (Ishmael Miller 73), Matt Derbyshire, Dexter Blackstock (Simon Cox 64). Subs not used: Khaled Al Rashidi, Greg Halford, Marcus Tudgay, Djamel Abdoun.
Yellow Cards: Guy Moussi, Simon Gillett, Jamaal Lascelles.
Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire).
Attendance: 6,405.