- Reds score stoppage-time equaliser to earn late point in West London
- Colback effort cancels out first-half Dykes opener
Steve Cooper made just one change from the defeat at home to Fulham with Joe Lolley replacing Philip Zinckernagel who dropped to the bench.
It was a lightning start by Forest when, within the first 20 seconds, Lewis Grabban turned over possession deep in QPR territory and Lolley fed Brennan Johnson who fired just wide of Seny Dieng’s right post from the edge of the penalty box.
QPR’s first effort on Brice Samba’s goal came after five minutes when Chris Willock shot straight at the Forest keeper from outside the box
A fine ball down the right by Djed Spence then released Johnson who hesitated on the byline before crossing and the ball was bundled away for a corner by Yoann Barbet with Lolley and Grabban well placed in the box.
Forest had started brightly, which was epitomised by Scott McKenna marauding down the left and putting in a decent cross but failed to find a Reds forward.
After 15 minutes, the referee Andy Davies had a call to make as Brennan Johnson seemed to be pushed over in the box when he dispossessed Barbet but the ref waved away Forest appeals.
Shortly afterwards, Lolley picked up the ball just outside the Rangers box and his swerving shot forced a fine save from Dieng.
After 20 minutes, Max Lowe fouled ex-Forest man Albert Adomah on the Forest left but The Reds cleared Ilias Chair’s dangerous free kick, before Lyndon Dykes shot at Samba with Forest appealing for handball.
It had been lively opening quarter on a mild west London evening and Johnson again nearly got away in the inside left of the penalty box but Sam McCallum diverted the ball for a corner, injuring himself in the process and subsequently replaced by Moses Odubajo.
The Reds were so close to opening the scoring immediately afterwards when Lolley again released Johnson in the inside left channel and Dieng saved superbly low to his right, with Adomah nearly steering the ball into his own net from the rebound.
The Reds then had another penalty appeal when Adomah seemed to clip Spence in the box but referee Davies gave the foul to Rangers much to the frustration of the Forest players.
Rangers responded with Dykes mis-kicking an Adomah cross as the match continued at a fast pace nearing the half hour.
Rangers were forced into a second change ten minutes before the break when centre half Jordy de Wijs limped off to be replaced by Jimmy Dunne.
Another thrilling break down the right by Brennan Johnson nearly created another Forest opening but, after cutting back inside, his cross was comfortably intercepted by Dieng.
Yates then dispossessed Dykes near halfway and his subsequent pass released Spence inside the box but his cross drifted harmlessly wide as The Reds continued to threaten the Rangers goal.
McKenna again attacked down the left just before the break but Max Lowe’s low cross just evaded Johnson.
Referee Davies then produced his first yellow card of the evening when Andre Dozzell fouled Jack Colback.
The referee signalled six minutes of first half injury time and it was Rangers who threatened first in stoppage time when Joe Worrall blocked Chair’s low shot.
The Reds had been on top throughout the half but Rangers took the lead in the fifth minute of first half injury time. Adomah escaped again, this time on the left, and his cross was headed firmly home by Lyndon Dykes at the far post for the Scottish international’s sixth goal of the season.
Half-time: QPR 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Forest kicked off the second half attacking the School End where just under 3,000 Reds supporters were housed.
Ryan Yates curled in an early cross after Djed Spence dispossessed Moses Odubajo on the right as The Reds looked to resume their attacking threat and Max Lowe then found Lewis Grabban in the box with a neat pass but he was crowded out.
Five minutes into the second half, Andre Dozzell fouled Jack Colback in a dangerous position on the left touchline near the corner flag but Brennan Johnson’s free kick was cleared by Rangers.
Rob Dickie was then fouled by Colback after evading a Yates challenge and, from Ilias Chair’s free kick, Adomah nearly squeezed the ball home at the far post.
Forest then countered when Grabban’s driven clearance found Johnson near halfway. The Welshman slipped Adomah and accelerated away but his shot could only find the side netting of Sent Dieng’s goal.
Grabban found space 25 yards out but his shot was screwed wide of Dieng’s left hand post and then Grabban himself inadvertently blocked a Johnson shot.
Steve Cooper made a double change on the hour mark when Lyle Taylor and Alex Mighten replaced Tobias Figueiredo and Grabban as Forest reverted to 4-2-3-1.
The match was still being played at a breathless pace with Forest probing for openings to draw level. Joe Lolley then thundered a right footed cross shot from 20 yards just wide of Dieng’s post.
However, Brice Samba was forced into an important save with his legs when Chair and Dykes combined to release the latter in the box. Forest were immediately back on the attack after a superb crossfield pass by Ryan Yates but QPR cleared again.
Philip Zinckernagel replaced Lolley as the match moved into the last quarter still delicately poised.
Djed Spence superbly blocked Lyndon Dykes’s fierce shot in the box after he was slipped through by Stefan Johansen as QPR started to gain the ascendancy for the first time on the night.
With 20 minutes left, substitute Zinckernagel stung Dieng’s hands with a fierce shot from outside the box and, from the Dane’s free kick shortly afterwards, Rangers managed to scramble the ball way when it nearly dropped for Jack Colback in the box.
QPR then broke after Lowe slipped on halfway and Yates was forced to head clear for a corner from Chair’s dangerous dinked cross. Another corner followed when Lowe headed behind but Forest again cleared the danger.
Mark Warburton made his final change when Luke Amos replaced Chair with just over ten minutes remaining and, soon after, Johansen slipped Dykes through in the inside left channel but he shot wide.
The Reds attacks had become more sporadic as the second period progressed but Mighten was spectacularly upended by Johansen as he escaped down the left who became the second QPR man in the book.
With five minutes left, Taylor blocked Dieng’s clearance and his clever back heel found Johnson whose cross was cleared for a corner before it reached the unmarked Mighten in the box. The Reds forced another corner when Rob Dickie sliced wide but Rangers cleared.
The Reds were now pressing but Rangers were standing firm and looking to break from deep and when Spence’s pass to Yates went astray Dykes fired over from 40 yards with Samba out of his goal.
The referee indicated four minutes of injury time, and moments later, The Reds found a deserved equaliser.
A cross which was headed away by Jimmy Dunne fell only as far as Jack Colback, who unleashed at goal and found the net via a minor deflection.
This sparked wild scenes amongst the travelling supporters, who sensed a repeat of the enthralling late win at Bristol City less than a fortnight ago.
Despite winning a late free-kick and corner, there was to be no winning goal for The Reds, who left the capital with a deserved point.
Full-time: QPR 1-1 Nottingham Forest
MATCH STATISTICS
Queens Park Rangers (3-4-2-1): Seny Dieng; Yoann Barbet, Jordy de Wijs (Jimmy Dunne 36’), Rob Dickie; Sam McCallum (Moses Odubajo 26’), Stefan Johansen (c), Andre Dozzell, Albert Adomah; Chris Willock, Ilias Chair (Luke Amos 78’); Lyndon Dykes
Substitutes not used: Jordan Archer (gk), Dominic Ball, Andre Gray, Charlie Austin
Goals: Dykes (45+5’)
Bookings: Dozzell (43’), Johansen (83’)
Nottingham Forest (3-4-1-2): Brice Samba; Scott McKenna, Tobias Figueiredo (Alex Mighten 61’), Joe Worrall; Max Lowe, Jack Colback, Ryan Yates, Djed Spence; Joe Lolley (Philip Zinckernagel 67’); Lewis Grabban (c) (Lyle Taylor 61’), Brennan Johnson
Substitutes not used: Ethan Horvath (gk), Gaetan Bong, James Garner, Braian Ojeda
Goals: Colback (90+1’)
Bookings: Worrall (90+2’)
Referee: Andy Davies
Attendance: 15,089 including 2,885 Forest supporters
Possession: 41%-59%
Shots: 13-12
Shots on target: 4-4
Corners: 5-8