Town had to thank keeper Kelvin Davis for their point from a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest. The home side had much the better of the game but the superb Davis was equal to almost all they threw at him. Town surprisingly took the lead through Darren Bent but soon after Chris Morgan equalised.

Blues' skipper Jim Magilton recovered from sufficiently from his foot injury to continue in the Town midfield, allowing Joe Royle to name an unchanged side.

Kelvin Davis was swiftly into the action, reacting quickly to turn away Matthieu Louis-Jean's effort from inside the area in only the third minute. It was a fine save, but not the keeper's best stop on the night.

Darren Bent had the ball in the net as early as the sixth minute, but he had already been flagged for an offside. Bent forced a save from Ward in the Forest goal four minutes later, with a 25-yard shot but the strike was too near to the keeper.

Despite Bent's effort it was Forest who were having the best of the game. On the quarter hour new Forest signing Marlon King blazed over from the left of the area after three Town defenders had failed to make contact with a corner.

Two minutes later Jermaine Wright was teed up on the edge of the Forest box, but his shot lacked power and was easy for Ward. At the other end Eoin Jess struck a decent effort a couple of feet wide of Davis' right post.

The home side were not afraid to have a dip whenever they were around the Town area and Davis did well to save from Gareth Williams in the 20th minute before Gareth Taylor struck a shot which was deflected wide.

The Town keeper was again in action on 33, saving the impressive Andy Reid's 25-yarder. Eoin Jess became the first player to enter the ref's book a minute later for a late tackle on Georges Santos.

Forest, the first side to out-pass the Blues for some while, became increasingly dominant as the half went on but Davis remained solid, claiming Reid's low cross from the left ahead of Taylor.

Georges Santos proved the Town saviour on 40 when he headed a cross out prior to the same player.

It was very definitely Forest's half and Town, or more specifically Kelvin Davis, had done well not to go in behind at the break.

The second period started much like the first had ended with Forest having most of the possession. Town had a couple of decent breaks, and from one Shefki Kuqi had a shot blocked on the edge of the area.

The Blues were still largely under pressure and in the 53rd minute Ian Westlake picked up a yellow card for a foul on Louis-Jean.

A minute later the Blues were in front. Kelvin Davis, perhaps inevitably, started the move, rolling the ball out after claiming a Forest corner. Fabian Wilnis brought the ball forward with Chris Bart-Williams eventually laying the ball off to Jermaine Wright at the edge of the area.

The midfielder lashed a powerful shot, which Ward tipped on to the bar, Darren Bent reacting quickest to stab the ball into the corner of the net.

Immediately Forest were back on the attack, Gareth Taylor shooting over the bar. Another Town break led to Kuqi hitting another shot against a defender at the edge of the area.

Kelvin Davis made the save of the night in the 68th minute, coming off his line quickly to block Williams' effort at point blank range, the Forest man having been played in by a ball chipped over the Town defence. It was a fabulous save when it appeared a goal was inevitable.

Despite Davis' exploits a Forest equaliser wasn't long in coming, Chris Morgan latching on to a low Reid cross from the left and rippling the Town net from close in.

Soon after, with Town finally starting to look something like the side which played so well at Cardiff on Saturday, Kuqi headed a Magilton cross over the bar.

On 69 Davis came out a long way to punch a cross from the left ahead of Williams, who also appeared to be caught by the keeper's glove. Seven minutes later the Blues again had to thank Davis when he tipped a Eugen Bopp header over the bar.

With 10 minutes remaining Kuqi struck a shot which appeared to catch Gregor Robertson on the hand, but referee Mr Webster saw nothing worth a penalty kick.

With four minutes remaining Fabian Wilnis was replaced by Tommy Miller, the Dutchman appearing to have a calf injury.

Town probably played their best football in the closing stages and Darren Bent had a clear-cut chance to win the Blues a somewhat undeserved three points. Jim Magilton split the Forest defence and sent Bent through one-on-one with Ward, only for the striker to hit the ball straight at the keeper.

A very disappointing display from Town who were out-played for large periods of the game by Forest. Despite their relatively lowly position, the home side looked a far more impressive side than they did when they faced the Blues last season.

Town never really got control of the game in midfield and Forest were allowed to get in far too many crosses from either flank. Only the heads of Santos and Naylor, and more often Kelvin Davis, prevented Town from going home pointless.

Davis was a clear man of the match, putting in his finest display since moving to Portman Road and the best by a Town keeper since the days of Richard Wright. The former Wimbledon man made three fabulous saves, caught everything in the air and largely kicked very well.

After the recent impressive displays and a swift rise up the table, perhaps Town can be forgiven one under par performance. But three points on Saturday against Derby are a must if the impetus is to be kept up in December and into the vital Christmas period.

Town: Davis, Wilnis (Miller 86), Santos, Naylor, Magilton, Bart-Williams, Wright, Westlake, Bent, Kuqi.

Photo: Action Images

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