Burnley lost more ground in the race for a Premiership place when held by Nottingham Forest at Turf Moor.

Wolves' midday win over Bradford saw the Clarets go eight points behind Dave Jones' second-placed side and in desperate need of three points of their own.

But they had to settle for just one, and were glad of that when still behind to Marlon Harewood's 67th-minute penalty with two minutes left to play.

Arthur Gnohere, who had hauled Harewood down in the box, redeemed himself with a glancing header to keep the Clarets' hopes alive, though it is looking increasingly likely that the play-offs is going to be their best route back to the top flight.

Boss Stan Ternent opted to leave £1million signing Ian Moore on the bench and play just Gareth Taylor up front with fit-again Tony Grant back to pack the midfield.

The move away from Burnley's usual 4-4-2 formation looked to be paying dividends early on, and Forest were given a mighty let-off in the 17th minute.

Lee Briscoe's deep cross from the left flank found Taylor unmarked at the far post, but with time and space to pick his spot the Welsh international headed wide with Darren Ward a very grateful onlooker in the Forest goal.

Spurred on by that reprieve, the visitors came more and more into the game and should have ended the half ahead.

In the 36th minute Matthieu Louis-Jean teed up Marlon Harewood after a fine run, but the striker inexplicably chose to dwell on the ball when in the clear, giving Arthur Gnohere time to close him down.

Harewood then eclipsed that miss four minutes before the break, rounding Beresford only to dwell on the ball again and let Gnohere charge down his shot with the net gaping.

Ternent changed his tactics at the start of the second half, bringing on recent £1million signing Robbie Blake up front in place of Grant and reverting to a 4-4-2 formation.

But Forest again served notice of their intentions on the break when Brian Reid saw his left-foot volley well saved by Beresford barely a minute into the half.

Ward was then glad to see Glen Little's left-foot shot deflected over the top after a trademark mazy run from the winger.

The Forest keeper was called into action soon after when tipping Ian Cox's goalbound header superbly round the post from a Briscoe corner.

Harewood thought he had atoned for his earlier misses in the 64th minute when twisting and turning his way through the Burnley defence only to see Beresford save his left-foot strike superbly.

Ternent then mystified the Turf Moor crowd by replacing Blake with veteran Gordon Armstrong after the former Bradford man had been on the pitch only 19 minutes.

And three minutes later Harewood finally redeemed himself by earning and converting a penalty to put Forest ahead.

The towering striker got the better of Gnohere inside the box, and after being hauled down by the defender, he dusted himself down and coolly converted past Beresford with his right foot.

In the 74th minute Ternent brought on striker Ian Moore for centre-half Cox in a last bid to inject some life into his strike force.

But it was a Taylor header that the home side again relied on as Ward saved well from the big striker in the 82nd minute.

Briscoe then blazed over from 10 yards after Taylor had teed him up well with another header.

Just when it seemed all was lost for the Clarets, Gnohere redeemed himself for giving away a penalty by drawing his side level with only two minutes remaining.

The French defender rose highest to a Briscoe free-kick and glanced a header past Ward into the far corner of the net.

Roared on, the home side pushed for an unlikely winner, but it was not to be, and they now find themselves seven points Wolves and that final automatic promotion spot.

Teams:

Burnley: Beresford, West, Briscoe, Gnohere, Cox (Ian Moore 74), Little, Alan Moore, Grant (Blake 45), Ball, Weller, Taylor, Blake (Armstrong 65).

Subs Not Used: Cook, Maylett.

Goals: Gnohere 88.

Nottm Forest: Ward, Louis-Jean, Brennan, Thompson, Hjelde, Williams, Prutton, Reid, Summerbee, Lester, Harewood.

Subs Not Used: Roche, Jones, Cash, Bopp, Dawson.

Booked: Hjelde.

Goals: Harewood 69 pen.

Att: 15,085

Ref: G Frankland (Middlesbrough).