Town stretched their unbeaten away run to six games as they drew 0-0 with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Forest were unhappy not to be awarded a first-half penalty when striker Simon Cox went to ground as he tried to take the ball past Dean Gerken, who made a number of impressive saves for the Blues, who also had chances.
Boss Mick McCarthy named the same side which started last week’s 2-1 home victory over Huddersfield.
The Blues included former Forest men Luke Chambers and David McGoldrick in his XI, while another former Tricky Tree Paul Anderson was on the bench along with Scott Loach, who was with their academy after a spell with the Blues’ youth set-up. Ex-Town left-back Dan Harding started for the home side.
Town started the brighter, Daryl Murphy forcing what should have been an early corner when chasing a ball down the middle, then in the fifth minute McGoldrick cut in from the left and sent in a low cross which Forest keeper Karl Darlow claimed.
On-loan Chelsea midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah struck the home side’s first shot from 20 yards in the ninth minute but failed to test Dean Gerken.
McGoldrick hit a deflected effort over from 25 yards on 12, then from the resultant Aaron Cresswell corner Murphy nodded Christophe Berra’s nod back across goal beyond Darlow but wide.
On 14 Nouble powerfully brought the ball forward before hitting a shot which Darlow could only parry away, Harding slamming the loose ball behind. Simon Cox was booked before the corner could be taken for an attempted trip on the Blues’ striker.
At the other end, Gerken saved Djamal Abdoun’s 20-yard effort, then Andy Reid powerfully volleyed well wide with chances now coming at both ends.
Forest believed they should have been awarded a penalty in the 18th minute when Abdoun played in Cox, who took the ball round Gerken as he broke into the area before going to ground.
Referee Scott Mathieson waved away the protests with Cox appearing to have been going to ground prior to receiving any contact from the Blues keeper. However, plenty of referees would have pointed to the spot.
Home manager Billy Davies was as convinced as the home crowd that a penalty should have been awarded and made his point at length to the linesman soon after.
Town were coming under increasing pressure and on 22 Tommy Smith blocked from Cox and then Gerken saved well from Jamie Mackie.
The Blues keeper made an even more impressive stop, tipping Cox’s flicked header on to the bar when the Irish international seemed certain to put his side in front. Soon after, Chalobah shot wide from distance.
McGoldrick hit a low shot which Darlow claimed low to his left as the half moved into injury time with the earlier Forest pressure having relented and the Blues having weathered the storm.
Having started brightly and having had a decent chance when Murphy headed wide, the Blues has subsequently spent much of the half under pressure and might well have found themselves behind.
Whether Cox tried too hard to win a penalty or otherwise, Town could count themselves fortunate that they didn’t find themselves conceding a spotkick and losing keeper Gerken to a red card.
The former Colchester man was in fine form in the minutes after that incident, making several important saves to keep the scoreline level at the break.
Chalobah fluffed an early second half chance for the home side, missing his header as a Reid freekick came in from the right.
The Blues had Gerken to thank again in the 59th minute when Reid sent in a brilliant ball from the left to Cox, who seemed certain to score until Gerken blocked at point-blank.
After Cresswell and Henri Lansbury were booked for a clash, the Town defender having reacted badly to a challenge, Gerken required treatment for a cut to the face, presumably having collided with Cox after the save.
Town were again coming under pressure with Chambers and then Berra blocking from Cox before Greg Halford headed wide from Abdoun’s corner.
McGoldrick shot wide for Town on 70, then three minutes later a spell of Blues passing on the left ended with Cresswell hitting a cross-shot wide.
Forest sub Henderson flicked a header to Gerken from a freekick in the 75th minute with the home side still having the better of the chances but not as dominant as they had been earlier in the half and with Town looking dangerous when coming forward.
On 78 Blues centre-half Berra brought the ball forward and exchanged passes with Nouble before unleashing a powerful strike from the edge of the area which Darlow blocked. Moments later, Hobbs headed Abdoun’s freekick from the left well over.
Town though had gained the upper hand going into the final 10 minutes and from a contentious corner — Reid was fortunate to stay out of the book for his protests — Berra’s header struck Nouble when appearing goalbound.
As the game moved into four minutes of injury time Tyrone Mings replaced McGoldrick, who was given a mixed reception by his old fans, while Chambers had received boos throughout.
Neither side was able to break the deadlock in the additional minutes and both had to settle for a hard-fought point.
A draw probably wasn’t an unfair result with both teams having had chances and with the two keepers each having made a number of decent saves.
After three wins on the trot an away draw at Forest - which sees Town drop to 10th, three points from the play-off zone - is by no means a bad result as the Blues go into the busy Christmas period.
Nottingham Forest: Darlow, Halford, Lascelles, Hobbs, Harding, Chalobah (Jara 90), Mackie (Henderson 68), Lansbury, Reid (c), Abdoun (Derbyshire 87), Cox. Unused: De Vries, Lichaj, Paterson, Majewski.
Town: Gerken, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Skuse, Hyam, Tunnicliffe, Murphy, Nouble, McGoldrick (Mings 90). Unused: Loach, Tabb, Hunt, Edwards, Anderson, Graham. Referee: Scott Mathieson (Cheshire). Att: 20,966 (Town: 1,144).