Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa (Premier League) 10.10.22

Nottingham Forest shared the spoils in an East/West all Midlands clash at the City Ground, a match of low quality but at least it shown defensive improvements for a team that had lost their last five matches.

Five changes were made by Steve Cooper who gave first league starts to Serge Aurier and Emmanuel Dennis whilst Matty Cash returned to face his old club for the first time in Villa colours.

A cagey opening fifteen minutes saw the away side have most of the possession but a free kick won by Emmanuel Dennis on the right wing after a coming together with Tyrone Mings, was whipped in by Morgan Gibbs-White and the Nigerian was there to head home his first goal in garibaldi, giving Forest a 1-0 lead.

Aurier shortly after, received a booking for a big tackle on Jacob Ramsey, before Ashley Young struck low and hard from outside the area, a stunning right footed strike from nowhere, the tenth time Henderson has been beaten from outside the box this season, all level again on 22 with the reds having led for just seven minutes.

As Forest’s defence opened up, Watkins slid the ball into the back of the net but was adjudged offside, tapping home from a low cross by Buendia, the England striker moving too early to the relief of the Forest fans.

Cook then received a booking, his fourth of the season, for a challenge in the Villa area, on 34 a Kouyate header at the back post did little to test Emiliano Martinez who safely held the ball in his grasp, the only real remaining chance of a nervy half which ended with a yellow card to Ezri Konsa, who took an inevitable caution after stopping a Gibbs-White counter-attack from the away sides own corner-kick.

The second half started with Villa doing the pressing, Coutinho cutting in to blaze over, McGinn then threading through to Ramsey who slid a ball across the six yard box which was cut out by Scott McKenna before McGinn picked up a booking for a foul on Johnson.

More niggles followed as Ramsey hit out at Yates following an altercation, Watkins at the back post unmarked then headed down from a deep Douglas Luiz cross, goalkeeper Henderson getting down well to smother the danger.

On 64 minutes Gibbs-White went close with a curling effort from outside the area, during Forest’s best attacking spell of the game, Villa followed that up with more possession though, McGinn should have done better with a diving headed attempt, when he perhaps should have gone with his foot.

Kouyate then tried his luck from outside the area, Martinez saving firmly with one for the cameras, as the game stretched late on both sides pushed for a winner but largely lacked ideas, Jacob Ramsey and Ryan Yates adding their names to the Referees notebook, about as exciting as the closing stages got.

A better point for Forest than Villa perhaps? At least enough to end a losing run, and the Reds lift off the bottom of the table going above Leicester City, some consolation following their heavy defeat to the Foxes last week.

Nottingham Forest: Henderson, Aurier (Williams 58), Cook, McKenna, Toffolo, Freuler, Kouyate, Yates, Gibbs-White (O’Brien 90), Johnson, Dennis (Surridge 71).

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young, Ramsey (Archer 81), Luiz, McGinn (Dendoncker 77), Buendia, Coutinho (Ings 65), Watkins.

Venue: City Ground

*Main image @NFFC Ryan Yates in action against Jacob Ramsey.