Dawson earns Forest point in play-off rehearsal

Nottingham Forest 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers

If these sides meet in the First Division play-offs, they will have to go some to produce a match as compelling as this one, in which Forest went two goals behind to a Wolves side who punished them clinically on the break but, inspired by a splendid performance from their young Irish midfielder Andy Reid, recovered to claim a share of the points and threatened to take all three.

Wolves, determined to avoid the loss of form that wrecked last season's promotion challenge, had brought with them a formidable record of eight clean sheets in their last 10 matches, a stiff test even for opponents with the best home goals record in the division. The absence through injury of Darren Huckerby, who had scored five in eight since his arrival on loan from Manchester City, as well as the Scottish Under-21 midfielder Gareth Williams added to the scale of the task facing Forest, who found the odds stacked heavily against them after Wolves scored twice in the first 26 minutes.

Nathan Blake struck the first blow for the old gold in the ninth minute, using his strength to hold off the teenage centre-back Michael Dawson before driving past Darren Ward after Denis Irwin had delivered a long ball for him to chase.

Forest dominated first-half possession, Reid going close with a diagonal shot, Andy Johnson sending a diving header over the bar and Marlon Harewood flashing a fierce strike across the face of goal. But when Paul Ince spotted Colin Cameron running unmarked into space in the centre and supplied an instant pass, Forest were undone a second time, the Scottish midfielder expertly steering the ball wide of Ward.

Undaunted, Forest continued to press forward and a fine piece of football by the impressive Reid brought them back into the match four minutes before half-time, the Irish midfielder capping a thrusting crossfield run with a clever flick into the path of David Johnson, just onside, who slid home his 25th goal of the campaign.

Forest changed their tactics in the second half, patiently working the ball forward from deeper positions in an attempt to draw Wolves out. It was a strategy that carried risks, especially when passes went astray and the visitors threatened to hit them on the break again. Forest went close again after a slick move involving Jack Lester, Harewood and Reid and, as tensions began to tell, cautions began to mount. Alex Rae was punished for kicking the ball away, Dawson for a foul from behind on Blake and Cameron for thwarting a Forest break with a deliberate use of hands.

Wolves held their shape admirably but their resistance was broken a second time with a quarter of an hour left, Dawson heading in after Matt Murray had spilled a Riccardo Scimeca free-kick.

Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): Ward; Louis-Jean, Dawson, Walker, Brennan; Thompson, Scimeca, Lester, Reid; Johnson, Harewood. Substitutes not used: Jess, Roche (gk), Doig, Bopp, Hjelde.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-4-2): Murray; Irwin (Edworthy, h-t), Naylor, Butler, Lescott; Cameron, Ince, Rae, Kennedy; Blake, Miller (Ndah, 78). Substitutes not used: Oakes (gk), Sturridge, Cooper.

Referee: A Leake (Lancashire).