Nottingham Forest 1-1 Reading (EFL Championship) 13.03.21

Nottingham Forest were held by promotion pushing Reading to a draw at the City Ground after the Reds who took the lead with an early second half own goal were pegged back late on by a Yakoue Meite strike.

The Royals were marginally the better side in a first half with chances at both ends. Murray testing Reading goalkeeper Rafael on 25 after flicking on Bong’s cross before the visitor’s striker Joao went up the other end to dance through the Forest defence and warm the hands of Samba.

A minute later, Lolley curled wide an effort which was inches away, the Redditch born wide man then came off with an injury to be replaced by Anthony Knockaert, and the best chance of the half was when a short near post corner was laid into Joao who scuffed his effort onto the post.

In the second half Forest started the better and got early reward on 49 after some fine wing play from Sammy Ameobi who shrugged off a defender down the right to cut across goal where under pressure from Glenn Murray, Tom Holmes could only blast into his own net.

Reading fought back as they chased the remainder of the half almost for a leveller, Puskas firing over before Yiadom forced a good stop by Samba with his feet, the Frenchman easily saving the follow up, but on 81 minutes Veljko Paunovic’s side got their reward as Meite raced through to shoot early through the palms of Samba to end the game all square.

After the match, Reds Manager Chris Hughton said “I think it’s a good point in the end.”

“We had a period in the second half where I thought we were going to hold on but they’re a team with a lot of good players and they made offensive changes and they created chances. They probably looked a bit more threatening with the players that they’ve got but at one stage I thought we were going to stay strong and win it.”

The point means the Reds are now 17^th on 41, nine points above the drop zone although Rotherham who won, do have four games in hand on some of those around them.

10 points should be enough in Forest’s final ten games, a tough visit of Norwich City awaits on Wednesday night though as the league leaders who have won their last seven, next head to the City Ground.

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Christie, Figueiredo, McKenna, Bong, Garner, Cafu, Ameobi, Krovinovic (Freeman 80), Lolley (Knockaert 34), Murray (Grabban 72).

Reading: Rafael, Yiadom, Holmes, Moore, Richards, Semedo (Meite 61), McIntyre, Olise, Laurent, Puscas (Aluko 74), Joao.

Venue: City Ground

*Main image @NFFC Sammy Ameobi in action for Forest.