Nottingham Forest battle back to get point against Birmingham City

Birmingham went ahead in the first half through Lukas Jutkiewicz before doubling their lead thanks to a Che Adams strike in the second period. Only a few minutes later however, Joe Lolley found the back of the net for Forest before a Daryl Murphy goal with three minutes to go sealed a point for Aitor Karanka’s men.

Forest started the game the poorer and they almost went behind in the 12th minute. Omar Bogle cut inside the area from the left flank and his shot went just wide of Costel Pantilimon’s far post.

The visitors went close again five minutes later. Gary Gardner stepped up to take a free-kick in a good position and his effort had Pantilimon rooted to the spot but it just crept the wrong side of the post.

Birmingham got their reward in the 21st minute as they went ahead. Jacques Maghoma charged at the Forest defender before clipping a deft cross to the back post where Lukas Jutkiewicz was waiting to expertly guide a header into the corner.

Forest’s first real chance arrived just before the hour. Matty Cash broke well and he slipped the ball through for Gil Dias down the right. Dias fed the ball back inside for Cash but his shot from just inside the area was blocked by Kristian Pedersen.

With just over 20 minutes to go, Birmingham nearly doubled their advantage. Great work down the right saw the ball pulled back for Maghoma and he looked to bend his shot into the corner but could only find the grateful hands of Pantilimon.

Forest then broke upfield and almost drew level but Matty Cash’s goal-bound shot struck a Birmingham defender.

In the 72nd minute, Birmingham found themselves two in front. Che Adams received the ball on the edge of the Forest area and he spun and dispatched a low shot into the bottom corner.

At that point, Forest sent on Joe Lolley as their final substitute and he had an immediate impact, scoring with his first touch. The ball came out for the former Huddersfield man on the edge of the area and he hit a stinging, half-volley past Lee Camp to get Forest back in the game.

Birmingham were now holding on and in the 87th minute, Forest completed their comeback. Camp could only palm Lolley’s shot into the path of Daryl Murphy who finished well from just outside the six-yard box.

That secured a share of the points for Forest who continue their unbeaten start to the new Championship season.

FOREST XI (4-2-3-1): Pantilimon (GK); Byram (Lolley 75’), Figueiredo, Fox, Robinson; Colback, Watson © (Osborn 66’); Cash, Dias, Soudani (Carvalho 56’); Murphy

SUBS NOT USED: Steele (GK), Goncalves, Bridcutt, Hefele

BIRMINGHAM XI: Camp (GK), Pedersen, Colin, Kieftenbeld, Jutkiewicz, Dean, Bogle (Adams 67’), Maghoma (Solomon-Otabor 74’), Gardner, Jota (Mahoney 85’), Morrison ©

SUBS NOT USED: Trueman (GK), Roberts, Lakin, Harding

REFEREE: Tim Robinson

ATTENDANCE: 26799 (1965 away)

FOREST MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Matty Cash