Connor Wickham’s injury-time header gave Wednesday a deserved point as we marked our return from the lockdown with a 1-1 home draw against Forest at Hillsborough this afternoon.
The visitors had taken the lead 20 minutes from time with one of their few threats on goal, the dangerous Joe Lolley breaking clear down the right, cutting in and firing across Joe Wildsmith into the far corner of the net.
We looked somewhat rocked by the goal in the next 10 minutes or so before rallyng again in the closing minutes and Wickham struck deep into added time, the loanee heading powerfully home in front of the empty Kop from Alessio Da Cruz’s left-wing corner.
The draw see us staying in 15th place, eight points from both the play-offs and the relegation places.
Garry Monk made several changes from our last match before the lockdown, – a 5-0 thrashing at Brentford – but we looked the more likely side to open the scoring in the first half. Massimo Luongo saw his effort deflect just wide, Jordan Rhodes failed to capitalise on Barry Bannan’s through ball when well placed and a Wickham header was blocked on the line by Tobias Figueiredo, with the striker claiming handball.
Forest’s best opening of the half fell to Lewis Grabban just before the break but his header was easily held by Wildsmith.
Wednesday almost broke the deadlock on the hour, Wickham’s header came back off the post and Kieran Lee saw his close-range shot from the loose ball blocked on the line by Joe Worrall when a goal seem a certainty.
Ten minutes later Lolley struck in a rare Forest attack and, although the visitors then caused one or two more problems, Wickham had the last word with his point-saving header which we deserved on the balance of play and chances.
Wildsmith, Palmer, Börner, Iorfa, Bannan, Luongo (Hunt 83), Harris, Lee (Reach 74), Murphy (Odubajo 68), Rhodes (Fletcher 68, Da Cruz 74), Wickham. Unused subs: Dawson, Lees, Fox, Pelupessy.