Daryl Murphy headed home his 11th goal of the season 12 minutes from time to see the Blues to a 1-1 home draw with Nottingham Forest. Town fought back in the second half after a disappointing display before the break had seen them trailing to former loanee Danny Collins’s fourth minute goal at half-time.

Cole Skuse returned to central midfield in place of Anthony Wordsworth after a two-game absence with the former Colchester man dropping out of the 18.

Forest handed a surprise debut to 19-year-old England U19 international midfielder Ben Osborn from the start.

As against Derby on Tuesday, Town went behind early on. Daniel Fox sent over a fourth minute corner from the left and ex-Blues loan defender Collins rose highest to nod home his first goal for Forest.

The goal had come against the early run of play with the Blues having had most of the ball. After going behind, Town went looking for an equaliser, keeper Karl Darlow claiming Stephen Hunt’s cross from the left, then Paul Anderson hitting a shot across the face of goal from the other flank.

On 12 Darlow failed to reach a Hunt corner from the left, the ball falling loose to Luke Chambers, but the Blues skipper’s strike was blocked.

Town continued to have most of the ball, Jonny Williams nodding Skuse’s drifting cross in from the left over. At the other end, Collins turned a freekick to Town keeper Dean Gerken from the edge of the box.

Forest should have been two in front in the 18th minute when Jamie Paterson broke into the Town half following a Blues freekick with only Chambers to beat. The Blues captain did superbly to hold him up while he waited for Cresswell and the rest of his team-mates to get back, before stabbing the ball away from the former Walsall man.

Despite Town having a lot of the ball, the visitors were looking by far the more threatening team on the break with Paterson coming close to adding a second in the 24th minute when he cut in and hit a goal-bound shot which deflected wide. Three minutes later, former Colchester man Greg Halford was booked for a body check on Anderson.

Town almost gifted Forest a second in the 32nd minute when Cresswell’s clearance from the left hit Mackie and fell to Paterson inside the area. He laid it back to Radoslaw Majewski but his shot was blocked and Anderson eventually put the ball behind.

Anderson, who had looked uncomfortable since Halford’s earlier challenge, was switched for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake in the 35th minute.

The visitors had another good chance a minute later when Jamie Mackie was sent through on the right of the area by Paterson but Gerken came off his line quickly to save with his foot.

For the Blues, Murphy crossed from the right but just in front of Ebanks-Blake, then Hunt shot over from distance. Soon after Williams crossed on to the roof of the net.

Town were continuing to have a lot of the ball but without creating any serious chances, while Forest were presenting a much greater threat on the break.

And that was how things continued until the whistle. Having conceded the early set-piece goal the Blues huffed and puffed but rarely looked like getting back on terms and were fortunate not to find themselves further behind with Forest always a danger on the counter-attack.

Boss McCarthy switched Hunt for Frank Nouble ahead of the restart as the Blues moved to a very attacking looking 4-3-3 with Williams between the strikers and Luke Hyam and Skuse. Gonzalo Jara picked up the second half’s first yellow card for a foul on Murphy.

Only a superb Darlow save prevented the Blues from getting back on terms in the 48th minute. Cresswell whipped in a freekick from the left and Ebanks-Blake headed powerfully goalwards but the Forest keeper got down to block superbly. Moments later, Collins got in ahead of Tommy Smith from a Town corner on the right.

The Blues continued to look dangerous in the early stages of the half, the increasingly-involved Cresswell twice seeing shots blocked. Forest created little until the 59th minute when Paterson scuffed a low effort through to Gerken.

Smith headed Williams’s corner from the right over on 62, then three minutes later Skuse hit a 25-yard strike which Darlow claimed to his left.

Murphy went close to getting the Blues level in the 70th minute when Williams teed him up 25 yards out. The Irishman’s curling shot looked goal-bound until Darlow got across to his right to tip it around the post.

Two minutes later, Fox was booked for pulling back Murphy five yards outside the area, Cresswell subsequently chipping a somewhat weak freekick through to Darlow.

On 77 Murphy did well to find himself some space 25 yards out but scraped his shot wide. Town were continuing to dominate but without carving out too many clear-cut openings.

However, a minute later, they finally got on terms. Cresswell took a corner short to Nouble and the former West Ham striker chipped a cross to the far post where Murphy powerfully headed home his 11th goal of the season.

Williams received Town’s first caution of the afternoon for a foul on Fox as Town looked for a late winner for the second time in a few days.

But it was Forest who would threaten next, Paterson’s cross-shot looping just over, prior to Paul Green replacing Williams, who received a warm ovation as he came off.

The visitors swapped Majewski for Matt Derbyshire and the striker wasn’t far away from a goal within a minute of coming on, his flicked header from Fox’s corner just beating the post.

Town really should have grabbed the winner in the 89th minute when Collins gave the ball away midway inside his own half. Murphy took the ball on but shot against a defender when Green was well placed in space to his right calling for the ball.

As the scheduled 90 minutes came to an end Nouble lashed a superb strike from the left which Darlow did brilliantly to push past his post.

Hyam saw a strike blocked after Green’s poor corner was cleared to him on the edge of the box, then Chambers headed over after Green had returned the ball back into the box. Darlow had his name added to referee Andrew Madley’s book shortly before the official blew his final whistle.

A draw was probably a fair result with Town better after the break and having had chances to win it. But for a series of excellent saves from Forest keeper Darlow — the stop from Ebanks-Blake the pick - the Blues would have celebrating their third win in three days.

However, that might have been harsh on the visitors who presented far the greater threat before half-time and might have had the game won by that stage if they had taken their opportunities.

Despite failing to achieve the hoped for victory over Forest — who are now 10 games without a win - seven points from three successive games against fellow play-off challengers is a better return than most expected for the Blues, who remain eighth two points from the top six.

Town: Gerken, Cresswell, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Skuse, Hyam, Hunt (Nouble 46), Anderson (Ebanks-Blake 35), Williams (Green 85), Murphy. Unused: Loach, Mings, Tabb, Richardson.

Nottingham Forest: Darlow, Jara, Halford, Collins(c), Fox, Greening, Peltier, Osborn, Majewski (Derbyshire 86), Paterson, Mackie. Unused: De Vries, Harding, Tudgay , McLaughlin, Cox, Blake. Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire). Att: 17,955 (Forest: 1,027).

Photo: Action Images

TractorCam added 17:15 - Mar 29 If you'd been offered 7 points from 9 last saturday we would have all taken it. Another brilliant game at Portman Road, change in atmosphere has been incredible. All teams around us failed to win again so it's still on!
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Bluetone added 17:17 - Mar 29 Be interesting to hear what the dour and dire has to say about leaving out Wordsworth.
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TimmyH added 17:17 - Mar 29 Rather mixed emotions...glad we got back on level terms but should we have beaten a Forest team in free fall? No coincidence again we play better when changed to a more attack bias 433, I just wish Mick had started the game like this! So it's a case of as we were with Reading also drawing and good to see Brighton now struggling. Got a feeling it's going to be 'nip and tuck' and what club can hold their nerve for that 6th play-off spot. Well done lads for the second half endeavour.

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blueboy1981 added 17:18 - Mar 29 ........... unless injured - just don't understand Wordsworth being left out. Amazed how many of these teams become difficult when we play them !! . We made this difficult - and didn't need to - to be honest. Huge opportunity today - not taken.
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AbujaBlue added 17:18 - Mar 29 Disappointing that we couldn't seal all 3 points but this was partly due to some very good saves by their keeper. Williams was great as usual, winning us freekick after freekick. Nouble was BRILLIANT, hardly ever giving the ball away and was a constant threat. Bit disappointed with Cresswell's delivery, we really have to make those set pieces count and he was a bit poor. Yes a win would have been nice, but Brighton lost and others around us seemed to draw. We can still get there!

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boysinblue added 17:21 - Mar 29 Cannot believe that once again we have failed to put away a team in disarray. So many times this season we've played teams at good times when they're there for the taking and we haven't capitalized. It's getting predictable, and I'm never optimistic when we hit a team in bad form now. Having said that, if someone offered me 7 points out of 9 before the Brighton game i'd have bitten their hand off. Very happy with that return, and we're still in a good position to get 6th. COYB!!

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coyb99 added 17:21 - Mar 29 As reading drew, we are basically in the same position as we were before the game. We are still in the playoff hunt after this... COYB!
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plcplue added 17:21 - Mar 29 7/9 points is a fantastic return considering the three teams we've faced. Forest were there for the taking today and we need to finish these kinds of teams off if we're to have any chance of breaking into the top 6. 28 points lost from winning positions this season (top of the table on that stat!) speaks volumes.
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bluefeast added 17:22 - Mar 29 Bournmouth shooting up table with late surge ,just 3 points behind us. We are only a few of 5th and 2 off 6th so all to play for .We have 4 away games in April so its going to be tough. However COYB what a great season in relation to the last 6
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smithy91 added 17:27 - Mar 29 Cant help but feel a little disappointed by only taking a point against faltering Forest, but it seemed predictable that we would have a tough game against opposition on a poor run, as we have numerous times this season. Dont know why wordsworth was dropped, Mick just suggests he was tired...Skuse had an average game. Overall from this week its been very good, but an early opportunity missed to jump into the top 6- lets hope other crop up and we take them.

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blueboy1981 added 17:32 - Mar 29 MM had a choice today - Negative or Positive - Wordsworth or Skuse - he choose exactly what most of us would have guessed he would. Wrong one in my opinion - and Wordsworth must be gutted.
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pazelle added 17:32 - Mar 29 Wordsworth was dropped for Skuse - nothing to do with injury or resting. We changed a winning team, and we didn't win. Not a bad point but disappointing for Wordsworth and other fringe players. It doesn't matter how you take your chance after all.
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warwickblue added 17:34 - Mar 29 I thought the draw was a fair result overall. We pounded them second half but they remained fairly well-organised and resolute and, despite their recent form, we have to remember that Forest are still above us in the table - so it was never going to be the walk-over that some people seem to have turned up at the ground expecting to see. Their keeper was in good form and they had a couple of near misses, so I'm firmly in the "7 out of 9 ain't bad" camp. Great to see Ebanks-Blake, Murphy and Nouble lined up together second-half. Far more potent than our first half set-up. I have come home thoroughly entertained and still optimistic, with the other results being ok, that the play-offs might be there for us...

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muccletonjoe added 17:35 - Mar 29 Not one of our best diisplays today. But at the end of the day we are still in there fighting
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mow_the_lawn added 17:35 - Mar 29 I'd like to know why MM changed a winning side to have Wordsworth not even in the squad. If the rumours that he was being dropped to be rested are true, then I think that's poor man management just to drop him for Skuse. If he's injured that's fair enough. Disappointed not to win, a draw is an acceptable result but if we want to get in the playoffs we have to do all we can to be the teams in the remaining fixtures to make up for the dropped points throughout the first half of the season.

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Bluetone added 17:38 - Mar 29 @ pazelle Agreed Wordsworth grabbed his chance put in two damn good performances and was rewarded by being dropped as soon as the McCarthy favourite was deemed fit. Surely by now Wordsworth has asked his agent to find out what options are available for next season.
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JWM added 17:39 - Mar 29 Good to see the moaners back!
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runaround added 17:41 - Mar 29 First half we were poor & a pale shadow of Tuesday, second half with SEB & Frank on we looked a lot better & would have won had it not been for 3 excellent saves from Darlow & a poor decision by Murphy near the end when a pass instead of a shot would have seen us through one on one. Very harsh on Wordsworth to be dropped & first half Scuse was awful. Couldn't understand why Cressie has stopped taking many of our set pieces as he has the best delivery & just because we scored from a short free kick Tuesday we should take everyone like that with the arial prowess we have. Still only 2 points in it but for me, any hopes we have rely on us keeping Joniesta

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NoCanariesAllowed added 17:45 - Mar 29 Frustrating one, this. That was definitely not the same Nottingham Forest we battled for a point against at the City Ground in December - they were largely underwhelming throughout. Town were, without bias, the better team for most of the game, especially the second half. I thought we responded well to going behind, but as time ticked on I feared Forest were going to claim a totally unmerited victory. Ultimately I was so relieved to see Murph get us the goal as it was the least we deserved, and the point at least maintains the status quo. Does feel a bit like one that got away though. Williams will be a big miss assuming he does go back to Palace. The thing I like about him most is his willingness and ability to take men on and make the runs with the ball. He made one in the second half picking it up near the halfway line and taking it the length of the Forest half before winning a corner - that summed up his approach to me. Also, I have to give a big thumbs up for Frank Nouble. This boy's taken some flak in his time at Town, but that was an outstanding display from the bench today. He gave us so much momentum and drive down that left hand side, he looks to cut in and play the low ball into the box. And he forced a cracking late save from Darlow. Genuinely, I wanted the ball given to him in that half again and again, because he really made Forest work. Excellent work again from Smith and Berra too. We were a bit shaky at times in the first half - in no small part down to some shocking dawdling on the ball from Cresswell, who had the poorest game I personally have ever seen from him. But this CB pair are so reliable, they chase back and win the ball so well and so consistently. Shame we couldn't have a goal from either of them today, but the mere anticipation of that shows just how great they've both been going forward this season. Sadly my wait to see us beat Forest live goes on (5 times and counting now), as does my wait to witness three Ipswich wins in a row. But at least it feels like we're playing Spring games that actually matter and the very worst that can happen is that we maintain our Championship status. I've thoroughly enjoyed this season and I'll be fascinated to see what April can yet bring.

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TimmyH added 17:51 - Mar 29 Lets get it right @plcblue - it's 7 from 12 points, Mick stated '4 huge games' and that started with Wigan. Saying that it's still a reasonable return, just disappointed we didn't see off Forest - should be interesting what MM says about Woody if he picked up a list minute injury or if he left him out.
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EssexTractor added 18:02 - Mar 29 First of all apologies to Frank Nouble. Until about 9.00pm last Tuesday I truly considered him to have been one of the least talented, least effective players I have seen in well over 50 years watching ITfC. But in those 30 minutes against Derby he unbelievably looked the "business". Oddly despite his shortcomings, or perhaps because of them, he has become a crowd " favourite". Those 30 minutes surely earned him a starting place today. But no! In preference to him,the busy but getting nowhere Hunt and the lightweight Anderson. And so yet again salvation came in the shape and clever skilful play of "Frankie". Whether these two performances are just blips or real evidence of the true Mr Nouble, time alone will tell, but the simple truth is after Tuesdays rampaging positive victory, MM should surely have opened against a demoralised managerless no win in nine Forest, with positivity and aggression. As much due to the failures of the other play off contenders as our own achievement today our position remains as was, but the magnificent vociferous crowd would surely much prefer us giving it a real go in these last 7 games. So MM if you and TC can find the " magic dust" for Frankie, sprinkle some of the same over them all. Finally plaudits to Murphy who ran tirelessly and Berra for another commanding performance, particularly against the nasty niggliness that is Jamie Mackie.

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Hiltzkooler added 18:08 - Mar 29 JWM...as always, as a MM apologist, you fail to see the mans short comings..today is infuriating for the defensive set up and not the more attacking approach that has served the team well this season..a good second half but why, oh why not from the off....the man is infuriating as this team is capable...it is how Mick deploys it...
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TractorBoy666 added 18:19 - Mar 29 Well I thought our performance second half was very encouraging, let's forget about that first half! It was like we were the team low on confidence in the first. But once again why do we play 2 defensive midfielders at home?! I'm confused as to why Wordsworth wasn't even on the bench today. But at least we haven't lost any ground on the teams above, and I think we all would have taken 7 from 9 before those matches. Two hard but winnable away games next. I have to say what has got into Nouble?! He's been a whole different player in the last two games. The dream is still alive. COYB!

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Alwaysablue added 18:22 - Mar 29 I may get negatives for this but Cresswell was very poor today and I am also bemused as to why Wordsworth didn't play. That aside fantastic response second half Nouble is a new man and SEB is very unlucky not to have had a goal either today or Tuesday, it's going to oh so close for sixth.
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nix290 added 18:23 - Mar 29 I love it! 7 points from 9 against teams either above us or fighting around us and yet still the moaners moan. What short memories some people have. This time last year we were fighting relegation due to the damage done by previous managers, yet the moaners still call for Micks head on a stick because he's not 'exciting enough'. Maybe we should go back to 'being exciting' and shipping 6 goals every week? I know what I'd prefer given the choice. Come on people, stop with all the negativity and get behind the team. We are in much better shape than we have been for years and MM has worked miracles considering the budget he's had.

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