Nathan Blake's stoppage time strike gave Blackburn a dramatic point and sent
Nottingham Forest to the foot of the Premiership.
Forest had gone 2-0 in front at half-time but for the second successive home
game, they failed to hold onto a two-goal lead.
Blake pulled one back on 49 minutes and then, after intense Rovers pressure,
he fired into an empty net after Chris Sutton's header had come back off the
crossbar.
Until then, it looked like Forest were going to take all three points after
enjoying the luck which they have not had in recent times.
City Ground manager Dave Bassett has been bemoaning his side's lack of good
fortune so far this season but they were repaid with interest today.
Forest's first goal - a Steve Chettle penalty - came about following bizarre
and slightly controversial circumstances, before a lucky ricochet off Dougie
Freedman put them 2-0 ahead after half-an-hour.
Jesper Mattsson, making his home debut, could have been sent off for what
looked like a professional foul on Blake but referee Stephen Lodge waved play
on.
And during the frantic final stages, Dave Beasant was involved in another of
those mad moments which have littered his career.
For some reason known only to himself, Beasant was in the centre circle as
Blackburn players raced upfield after clearing a corner.
The keeper's attempted pass hit Chris Sutton and though the ball clearly
struck the striker's arm, play was allowed to continue.
Beasant proceeded to foul Sutton but as players from both sides raced towards
the unattended Forest goal, Jason Wilcox sliced his shot wide.
Beasant was only booked for wrestling Sutton to the ground, before he became
the hosts' hero by repeatedly frustrating Rovers.
Treating his fans to a Jekyll and Hyde performance, Beasant made a smart stop
to deny Tim Sherwood before stunning the Blackburn captain with a point-blank
parry as Forest tried to hang on.
But Blake's goal meant Brian McClair's first match as Blackburn coach was a
happy occasion, with the entire Rovers bench on the pitch after their late, late
show as Brian Kidd's unbeaten record since taking over as Ewood Park manager
stayed intact.
Forest went into the match having failed to win any of their previous 14
League matches - two games short of a club record set in the 1996-97 season.
And, when it was announced that Pierre van Hooijdonk would miss the game with
calf and groin injuries, home fans could have been forgiven for once again
fearing the worst.
But Neil Shipperley and the ever-impressive Freedman led the line well and, in
the first-half particularly, Forest bore little resemblance to the
relegation-haunted side which have not won in the Premiership since August 29.
Mattsson had a header cleared off the line by Callum Davidson on three minutes
before they got their rewards for a lively opening.
Andy Johnson appeared to be held back by Stephane Henchoz but it was an
innocuous incident, so much so that referee Lodge ignored it.
But his ever-alert assistant flagged for a spot-kick and despite Blackburn
protests - during which Billy McKinlay was booked - Chettle was able to ram the
penalty home via John Filan's left hand.
But if that goal was a touch fortunate, then they doubled their lead eight
minutes later with an effort as much down to luck as skill.
Chris Bart-Williams' low shot was palmed away by Filan but the ball cannoned
off a combination of Freedman and Callum Davidson and flew into the net.
Rovers, who were poor in the opening 45 minutes, were revitalised after the
break, with Blake diving full-length to poke Wilcox's cross past Beasant.
Blackburn were then camped in the hosts' half, with efforts by Steve Stone and
Freedman Forest's only chances as they looked to stay in front.
Beasant went from the ridiculous to the sublime to frustrate the visitors,
while Blake headed over and Keith Gillespie - who had a quiet debut - fired off
target.
Forest were hanging on by their fingernails in the dying stages but just as
they thought they had survived, Blackburn denied them the win they so
desperately needed.
Teams:
Nottm Forest: Beasant, Rogers (Armstrong 68), Chettle, Hjelde,
Stone, Gemmill, Shipperley (Harewood 82), Johnson, Bart-Williams,
Freedman, Mattsson.
Subs Not Used: Crossley, Bonalair, Darcheville.
Booked: Beasant, Bart-Williams.
Goals: Chettle 22 pen, Freedman 30.
Blackburn: Filan, Kenna, Davidson, Sherwood, Henchoz,
Wilcox (Duff 89), Blake, Sutton, McKinlay, Dailly,
Gillespie (Johnson 78).
Subs Not Used: Davies, Peacock, Fettis.
Booked: McKinlay, Henchoz, Sutton, Gillespie.
Goals: Blake 49, 90.
Att: 22,013
Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).
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