Nottingham Forest are running out of opportunities to avoid dropping into the third tier of English football after Kris Commons missed a penalty against Leeds United.

Gareth Taylor also hit the post in a goalless draw which leaves the former European champions four points adrift of safety in the Coca-Cola Championship after Gillingham's surprise win over Stoke last night.

Commons was not considered fit to start because of a virus but, less than 15 minutes after coming on, he won a spot-kick which looked like securing the three points Forest's performance warranted.

But he slipped as he struck the ball to allow Neil Sullivan to smother his effort on the line.

Deprived of no fewer than 10 first-team squad players, Gary Megson's side had the better of proceedings against their vastly more experienced visitors.

Demonstrating a clearly unwanted symmetry, the injury-ravaged hosts were forced to respond to the 6-0 thrashing at Ipswich on Saturday - their heaviest defeat of the season - by making six changes for the visit of Leeds.

Other then hamstring injury victim Matthieu Louis-Jean making a surprise return in defence for Andy Melville, it was all bad news for Megson, who had no choice but to place his faith in the club's academy stars.

Kevin James, James Perch, John Thompson, Ross Gardner and Eugen Bopp came in for Alan Rogers, David Friio, Darryl Powell, Commons and Scott Dobie.

Leeds made two enforced changes, with Fraser Richardson and Danny Pugh coming in for Michael Gray and Sean Gregan, both suspended.

Forest showed all the exuberance and none of the inexperience of youth in a bright opening as James won the ball in midfield in the fifth minute before releasing Gardner, whose cutback from the byline caused sufficient concern for Leeds to put the ball out of play.

Forest continued to press and James narrowly failed to get on the end of Perch's inviting cross before a neat exchange between Bopp and left-back John Curtis forced a decent save from Sullivan.

Curtis was then on hand at the other end to deny the in-form Rob Hulse, but otherwise Forest were well on top, with the excellent Perch belying his 19 years by taking control of the makeshift midfield.

His threat was demonstrated with a 25-yard snap shot well held by Sullivan, and he was only narrowly wide from similar range 10 minutes from the interval.

Not wanting to be upstaged, James embarked on a superb run seconds before the break, crossing for lone striker Taylor who was unable to direct his header on target from a tight angle.

But Taylor was genuinely unlucky with an incredible 12-yard diving header that struck the angle seconds after the restart from substitute Gregor Robertson's cross.

Leeds were finally stirred into action, but for all their pressure, the most they gleaned from their efforts was a series of corner kicks.

Megson responded by introducing Commons for Bopp in the final half hour, and Kevin Blackwell brought on Seth Johnson for only his second appearance of the season.

Commons almost made an immediate impact with a free-kick which was caught by Sullivan, before Leeds' goalkeeper thwarted him again from the spot after Gary Kelly took him out as he bore down on goal.

The miss seemed to knock the stuffing out of the hosts, who were forced to weather a late rally from their play-off-chasing visitors and there was further injury woe as the livewire Perch was stretchered off after he collided with Sullivan late on.

Teams

Nottm Forest: Gerrard, Louis-Jean, Morgan, Thompson, Doig, Curtis (Robertson 29), Perch (Harris 90), Gardner, Bopp (Commons 57), Taylor, James.

Subs Not Used: Doyle, Beaumont.

Booked: Thompson, Doig.

Leeds: Sullivan, Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Pugh, Lennon, Walton, Wright (Johnson 66), Richardson (Carlisle 7), Hulse, Healy (Deane 78).

Subs Not Used: Pressman, Einarsson.

Booked: Healy, Kelly, Hulse.

Att: 25,101

Ref: G Salisbury (Lancashire).