Town got their 2004/05 away campaign started with a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest. The Blues rode their luck on several occasions - the woodwork was hit three times - but in the end Darren Bent's leveller was enough, Paul Evans having put the home side ahead.

Injury worry Jason De Vos recovered from his knee problem enough to take his place at the centre of defence. The Blues' only change was Dean Bowditch dropping to the bench and new signing Tony Dinning coming into a four-man midfield.

Chances were rare in the early stages, the first real save not forced until the 23rd minute when an Andy Reid cross gave Gareth Taylor a headed chance which Kelvin Davis caught.

Two minutes later, Forest went ahead. Taylor beat De Vos in the air, the ball falling to David Johnson. The former Town man had his back to goal but managed a shot on the turn which Davis saved at full strength only, for Paul Evans to follow up unchallenged.

It was a poor goal to concede and gave the home side the impetus to dominate the rest of the half.

Town's only chance of the first period came just after the 30-minute mark. Jason De Vos headed a Kevin Horlock corner goalwards only for the ball to ricochet around the six-yard box before being cleared.

On 35 David Johnson appeared to be through one-on-one with Davis, however, the Town keeper stopped his shot and referee Kaye called play back for a rather harsh foul on Richard Naylor.

Johnson had another chance three minutes before the break when he chased a ball over the top in circumstances very similar to his first goal against the Blues in the corresponding fixture two years ago. Davis probably should have come out to clear but in the end the ex-Town striker's header was weak and was easy for the keeper.

Just before the end of the half, right-back Matthieu Louis-Jean hit a shot which went wide of Kelvin Davis's post.

Forest had dominated most of the play, with Reid running things in midfield. New signing Tony Dinning's fitness wasn't looking up to scratch and Town had failed to get their passing going and looked very narrow.

Reid almost put his side two up within a minute of the restart. His shapshot from the edge of the box clattered against the bar but, fortunately for Town, bounced out.

There was a further scare a few minutes later when Dinning inadvertently headed the ball into Johnson's path but the striker's header caught the outside of the post and was cleared to safety.

Jason De Vos, who had been given a hard time by Gareth Taylor, played a lovely ball forward for Darren Bent on 53. The striker took the ball down but Hjelde stuck a toe in to put the ball out for a corner.

From Miller's corner the Blues got back in terms. The former Hartlepool man's ball fell perfectly for Bent 10 yards out at the far post, his shot crashing in off a defender. It was an equaliser Town hadn't really deserved on the balance of play.

Five minutes later Reid, the man of the match by some way, again came close, Kelvin Davis doing well to tip his effort over the bar.

On the hour, Jason De Vos picked up a yellow card for what appeared to be an innocuous foul on David Johnson. The frontman was clearly unhappy with the tackle and the referee seemed to react to the player's response to the challenge.

Eoin Jess hit a shot which was easy for Davis before Tommy Miller was given a golden opportunity from Kuqi's flick inside the Forest penalty area but the midfielder took a touch too many and Louis-Jean's block sent the ball over the bar.

The Town woodwork saved the Blues once again in the 66th minute when Taylor headed Reid's cross off Davis's right post.

Forest continued to create chances as the game entered its last 20 minutes; Evans shot wide and Davis just managed to grab the ball ahead of Johnson from Taylor's knockdown.

Town manager Joe Royle was angry at a Johnson tackle on Diallo in the 72nd minute and remonstrated with referee Kaye who made perplexing decisions throughout.

Bowditch came on for Kuqi on 82, a popular decision amongst the Town crowd. The Blues had started to look the stronger - or perhaps fitter - side in the last quarter of an hour, although that's not to say the home side weren't still a danger.

With three minutes remaining, a Doig foul on Bowditch gave Town a freekick which Kevin Horlock curled towards the far post. The ball looked to be going out of play until Taylor inexplicably headed across his own goal. Darren Bent appeared to have his shirt pulled by Rogers as he diverted the ball over the bar but referee Kaye saw things differently and gave the Blues a corner.

Forest will wonder how they allowed the Blues to escape the City Ground with a point, having dominated for all but the last 10 or 15 minutes. Andy Reid ran the show and looks like a player who will soon be plying his trade in a higher division, possibly by the end of the month.

Town battled hard but badly missed Jim Magilton pulling the strings in midfield. New man Dinning looked short of fitness, while up front there were slim pickings for Bent and Kuqi.

Once again Kelvin Davis was in top form in goal and Town can thank a combination of their keeper and his woodwork for preventing Joe Kinnear's men from netting more than one goal and grabbing all three points.

Town: Davis, Diallo, Richards, De Vos, Naylor, Dinning, Horlock, Westlake, Miller, Kuqi (Bowditch 82), Bent.

Photo: Action Images

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