- Forest earn dramatic late point at The City Ground
- Ryan Yates heads in stoppage-time equaliser following Samba dismissal
Forest Head Coach Steve Cooper made one change from the resounding 2-0 victory at Blackburn on Wednesday evening, with Philip Zinckernagel restored to the starting XI, Ryan Yates dropping to the bench and James Garner partnering Jack Colback in the centre of midfield.
It was another sell-out crowd at The City Ground on a cold and drizzly afternoon on Trentside.
In just the second minute, Ben Wilmot’s speculative cross-shot with the outside of his foot from the corner of the box hit the top of Brice Samba’s crossbar.
After seven minutes, Max Lowe was booked by referee Leigh Doughty for a foul on Jacob Brown near halfway.
Zinckernagel then released Keinan Davis in the inside left channel but Phil Jagielka slid into block the shot and concede a corner.
On the quarter hour, Forest broke at pace when Garner released Zinckernagel down the right and, from his cross, Brennan Johnson’s shot was blocked.
Davis then became the second Reds player booked for fouling Brown when he bought him down midway through the Stoke half.
After 20 minutes, Forest broke with pace from a Stoke corner with Johnson and Davis briefly creating a two-on-one situation but the forward was crowded out.
Lewis Baker then shot well wide of The Reds' goal for the visitors from 25 yards.
Spence and Zinckernagel then neatly combined for the wing-back to sting Josef Bursik’s hands in the Stoke goal from 20 yards, with the ball bouncing to safety.
Forest again broke threateningly from deep when Zinckernagel released Davis down the left and Taylor Harwood-Bellis was forced to concede a corner.
Just after the half hour, referee Doughty felt the wrath of the Forest players when stopping play to book Ben Wilmot for fouling Garner when Davis was breaking free on halfway.
Ten minutes before the break, Johnson found himself clean through after beating Harwood-Bellis for pace from Samba’s long ball but he was unable to lob the ball over the onrushing Bursik.
From another Forest break, Johnson fed Garner whose shot from outside the box was deflected for a corner.
The visitors had enjoyed more first half possession but The Reds had looked threatening on the break as the match reached the midway point goal-less.
HALF-TIME: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Stoke City
Nick Powell had the first effort of the second half when his shot from the edge of the box was comfortably saved by Brice Samba.
Excellent skill by Philip Zinckernagel on the byline to beat two defenders nearly created Forest’s first opening but his low cross was gathered by Josef Bursik.
James Garner was then booked for fouling Lewis Baker on the edge of the box as The Potters’ midfield man ran at the Forest defence.
Baker took the free-kick himself and smashed the ball against Samba's left hand post with Joe Allen heading the rebound over.
Steve Cooper made his first change of the afternoon ten minutes into the half as Sam Surridge replaced Keinan Davis.
Forest then took the lead ten minutes into the second half with a fine goal. Former Stoke man Surridge found Max Lowe with a lovely pass with the outside of his foot and, from the wing-back’s low cross, Brennan Johnson was on hand in a central position to sweep the ball home for his tenth goal of the season.
Surridge himself nearly broke through moments later but was crowded out by The Potters defence.
Another Forest attack caused Stoke problems and after Zinckernagel’s run across the box, Taylor Harwood-Bellis was forced to head behind for a corner.
Jaden Philogene-Bidace then forced a corner when Samba tipped his shot round the post from fully 35 yards and, moments later, the Forest keeper saved again from the Villa loanee, this time with a fine diving save to his right.
But from the corner, Stoke equalised when Lewis Baker’s corner was flicked on by Nick Powell and Josh Maja touched home at the far post.
With 20 minutes left, Stoke manager Michael O’Neill made his first change of the match when Sam Clucas replaced Jacob Brown.
After 77 minutes, Bursik was forced to save from Brennan Johnson’s curling shot as The Reds forced a corner.
Stoke made two further changes with Steven Fletcher and Jordan Thompson replacing Maja and Nick Powell. For Forest, Ryan Yates and Alex Mighten replaced Steve Cook and Philip Zinckernagel.
Clucas was booked for fouling Surridge as the match moved into the final ten minutes and Joe Worrall just failed to connect with James Garner’s dangerous inswinging free kick.
With five minutes left, Philogene-Bidace again tested Samba from long range and the 'keeper tipped wide for a corner.
Stoke fored another corner which Samba collected but, as he tried to start a Forest break, the 'keeper clashed with Jagielka. Referee Leigh Doughty produced a red card for Samba and, with all the substitutes used, Joe Worrall was forced into goal to face Lewis Baker’s penalty from which the Stoke man scored emphatically to make it 2-1 to Stoke.
Seven minutes of injury time were signalled and Garner immediately won a free-kick on the edge of the box for a foul by Joe Allen for which the Stoke man was booked.
The Manchester United loanee took the free-kick himself and smashed the crossbar and, from the rebound, Scott McKenna won a header and Ryan Yates headed home to the delight of The City Ground faithful.
Forest’s ten men were being forced to defend to protect Worrall in goal, but managed to hold onto a point.
FULL-TIME: Nottingham Forest 2-2 Stoke City
MATCH STATISTICS
Nottingham Forest (3-4-1-2): Brice Samba; Joe Worrall, Steve Cook (Alex Mighten 82'), Scott McKenna; Djed Spence, James Garner, Jack Colback, Max Lowe; Philip Zinckernagel (Ryan Yates 82'); Brennan Johnson, Keinan Davis (Sam Surridge 54')
Substitutes not used: Ethan Horvath, Tobias Figueiredo, Alex Mighten, Cafu, Xande Silva
Goals: Brennan Johnson 56', Ryan Yates 90+3'
Bookings: Max Lowe 7’, Keinan Davis 18’, James Garner 52'
Sending off: Brice Samba 86'
Stoke City (4-2-3-1): Joe Bursik; Ben Wilmot, Phil Jagielka, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Josh Tymon; Lewis Baker, Joe Allen; Jacob Brown, (Sam Clucas 70'), Nick Powell (Jordan Thompson 79'), Jaden Philogene-Bidace; Josh Maja (Steven Fletcher 79')
Substitutes not used: Jack Bonham, Tommy Smith, Liam Moore, D’Margio Wright-Phillips
Goals: Josh Maja 68'
Bookings: Ben Wilmot 33’, Sam Clucas 81', Joe Allen 90'
Referee: Leigh Doughty
Attendance: 28,990 including 1,990 Stoke supporters
Possession: 39%-61%
Shots: 11-19
Shots on target: 6-7
Corners: 5-5