- 10-man Reds play out goalless draw at The City Ground
- Samba saves penalty as Colback shown second yellow
Head coach Steve Cooper made three changes to the side which drew at Reading on Saturday, with Braian Ojeda, James Garner and Lyle Taylor replacing Max Lowe (injured), Ryan Yates (suspended) and Lewis Grabban who dropped to the bench.
Jack Colback moved to left back, with Garner and Ojeda partnering in centre midfield and Taylor up front in a 4-2-3-1 formation. For the 20-year old Paraguayan international midfielder Ojeda, it was his debut in a Forest shirt.
Luton, who started the match two places and one point ahead of Forest in 11th, featured former Reds midfielder Henri Lansbury in their starting line-up, and familiar faces in Chris Cohen and Paul Hart amongst The Hatters’ manager Nathan Jones’ backroom staff.
The Reds' goalscorer from Saturday, Philip Zinckernagel, had the first effort of the match inside the first couple of minutes as his shot was deflected wide after good work by Brennan Johnson on the left.
A quick throw from Brice Samba released Joe Lolley down the right and his run resulted in Ojeda shooting from 22 yards out but the ball sailed over James Shea’s crossbar in the Luton goal.
Soon afterwards, Garner shot from similar range after Ojeda and Lolley combined and his effort was deflected for a corner. From the Manchester United loanee’s corner, Scott McKenna headed onto the roof of the net.
Midway through the half, The Reds forced a free kick near the right byline after Tom Lockyer fouled Djed Spence and Garner’s dangerous cross was punched clear by Shea.
Lyle Taylor was then the first name in referee Jeremy Simpson’s notebook for a late tackle on Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu in midfield.
Elijah Adebayo then headed over Samba’s bar with Luton’s first serious threat in The Reds box before, on the half hour, Johnson forced a corner on the left for Forest after a good run but Garner’s corner came to nothing.
Johnson was then pressing down the right after another quick Samba throw found Lolley and the winger's cross caused panic in The Hatters defence but the ball just failed to land for Ojeda near the penalty spot.
Ten minutes before the break, a lovely pass from Spence released Zinckernagel but his cross was cleared in the six-yard box as Luton continued to defend stoutly.
Spence was continuing to be a threat down the right and seemed to have won a corner off Mpanzu after another penetrating run but assistant referee Natalie Aspinall ruled otherwise, whilst at the other end Ojeda blocked a fierce drive from Lansbury as the ball broke kindly on the edge of the box for the former Forest man.
Half-time: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Luton Town
The Reds kicked off the second half attacking the Trent End in front of another crowd in the excess of 25,000.
Jack Colback was booked in the opening exchanges for bringing down Admiral Muskwe, but it was Forest who created the clearest opening of the evening after 50 minutes, when Joe Lolley picked up a loose ball from Tom Lockyer and released Lyle Taylor in the box but James Shea turned his shot away for a corner.
Scott McKenna was then the second Forest player to go in referee Simpson’s notebook for pulling Fred Onyedinma’s shirt in the Luton half.
Just before the hour, patient play from The Reds set up Philip Zinckernagel for a drive from just outside the box that curled over the Luton crossbar.
Then there was controversy as Luton were awarded a corner, much to the disgust of Colback who felt it was a goal kick and, from the corner, the former Newcastle pulled down Lockyer.
Referee Simpson awarded a penalty and dismissed Colback for his second yellow card in a matter of minutes. However, from Elijah Adebayo’s spot kick, Brice Samba saved superbly with his feet to keep The Reds level.
Steve Cooper immediately made a change with Tobias Figueiredo replacing Lyle Taylor and, shortly afterwards, Gaetan Bong replaced Joe Lolley, as Forest reverted to three centre halves and Brennan Johnson playing as the lone frontman.
Midway through the half, Zinckernagel escaped Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu down the left, only to be hauled down on the byline. The Reds players were convinced the foul was in the box but referee Simpson only gave a free kick. From Zinckernagel’s drilled cross, Figueiredo just failed to connect with a header.
With fifteen minutes left, Hatters substitute Jordan Clark sent a low 20-yard shot just wide of Samba’s left hand post as Luton looked to take advantage of their extra man.
Cafú then replaced Zinckernagel with ten minutes left as Steve Cooper made his final change of the evening, with the midfielder getting his first minutes since August.
Figueiredo deflected a cross for a corner as the game entered five minutes of injury time as Luton applied late pressure.
From another Luton corner, Samba then made a fantastic save to his left as Kal Naismith shot powerfully on the volley from near the penalty spot.
However, The Reds broke and when Johnson went past Sonny Bradley the Luton captain cynically took the Welshman down to earn a booking.
Garner’s free kick was headed over the Luton bar for a corner as The Reds ended the match on the front foot as they secured a fourth draw in the last five matches and extended their recent run to just one defeat in 12 matches.
Full-time: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Luton Town
MATCH STATISTICS
Forest (4-2-3-1): Brice Samba; Djed Spence, Joe Worrall ©, Scott McKenna, Jack Colback; Braian Ojeda, James Garner; Joe Lolley (Gaetan Bong 68’), Philip Zinckernagel (Cafú 81'), Brennan Johnson; Lyle Taylor (Tobias Figueiredo 64’)
Substitutes not used: Ethan Horvath (gk), Lewis Grabban, Joao Carvalho, Alex Mighten
Bookings: Taylor (26’), Colback (47’, 60’), McKenna (55’)
Sending off: Colback (60’)
Luton (4-3-3): James Shea; James Bree, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley, Kal Naismith; Allan Campbell, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Henri Lansbury (Jordan Clark 73'); Admiral Muskwe (Harry Cornick 73'), Elijah Adebayo (Danny Hylton 87'), Fred Onyedinma
Substitutes not used: Harry Isted (gk), Glen Rea, Amari’i Bell, Cameron Jerome
Bookings: (Mpanzu 68’), Bradley (90')
Referee: Jeremy Simpson
Attendance: 25,715 including 1,418 Luton supporters
Possession: 52%-48%
Shots: 8-8
Shots on target: 0-1
Corners: 5-7