Watford 2 Nottingham Forest 0: Matej Vydra double

Watford 2 Nottingham Forest 0: Vydra double has Hornets flying

PUBLISHED:

17:42 GMT, 22 December 2012

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UPDATED:

17:42 GMT, 22 December 2012

Matej Vydra scored twice as Watford moved into the npower Championship play-off places with victory over Nottingham Forest.

The double took his tally for the season to 10, with the goals coming either side of Daniel Ayala being sent off for the visitors before the break.

Happy Hornets: Matej Vydra blasts his and Watford's second

Happy Hornets: Matej Vydra blasts his and Watford's second

Match facts

WATFORD: Almunia, Hall, Hoban, Ekstrand, Cassetti, Pudil, Hogg, Abdi (Battocchio 84), Chalobah (Mujangi Bia 90), Deeney,
Vydra (Beleck 74). Subs Not Used: Bonham, Neuton, Yeates, Geijo.

Booked: Cassetti, Deeney, Beleck.

Goals: Vydra 15, 40.

NOTTM FOREST: Camp, Collins, Ayala, Ward, Harding (Halford 46), Hutton, Moussi, Cohen, Reid (Guedioura 46), Cox (Blackstock 79), Sharp. Subs Not Used: Darlow, Gillett, Lansbury, Majewski.

Sent Off: Ayala (38).

Booked: Ayala, Ward, Cox, Sharp.

Att: 15,143

Ref: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).

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The visitors had an early chance to
take the lead when Andy Reid swung in a dangerous free-kick but Danny
Collins glanced his header just wide.

Watford threatened soon after and
Elliott Ward had to be alert to black Almen Abdi's goal-bound effort
after the Swiss midfielder burst through the middle.

Billy Sharp spurned a glorious opportunity to hand Forest the advantage with 15 minutes gone.

Chris Cohen found Simon Cox in space down the right and his low cross was turned wide by Sharp at the back post.

And they were made to pay when Guy Moussi conceded possession in the middle of the pitch.

Abdi pounced to play in Vydra and the Czech made no mistake from inside the box. Daniel Pudil's 20-yard drive once more highlighted the hosts' threat, with Lee Camp diving to his left to tip it past the post.

Forest's task was made even harder when Ayala, who was booked earlier, picked up his second yellow in the 38th minute.

Having already got away with a
blatant foul on Vydra moments earlier, the defender on loan from Norwich
brought down Troy Deeney on the edge of the box and was given his
marching orders.

The Hornets exploited their numerical
advantage to great effect just before the break, with Abdi again laying
on the assist for Vydra to finish from 12 yards.

Facing an uphill battle, Forest
manager Sean O'Driscoll made two changes at the interval, bringing on
Adlene Guedioura and Greg Halford for Dan Harding and Reid.

Those changes failed to stem the tide
of Watford attacks and it should have been 3-0 after an hour when the
ball fell kindly for Pudil on the edge of the box but he snatched at the
shot and cleared the bar.

Forest, to their credit, showed some
resistance after that, Guedioura firing into the side-netting and Sharp
dragging a shot wide from a promising position.

But Watford were worthy of their lead
and remained resolute in the closing stages, sealing a fifth win in
eight league games to climb into sixth place.

Brighton 0 Nottingham Forest 0 – match report:

Brighton 0 Nottm Forest 0: Hoskins and Calderon spurn chance to steal win in bore draw

PUBLISHED:

17:40 GMT, 15 December 2012

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UPDATED:

17:40 GMT, 15 December 2012

Brighton and Nottingham Forest missed the chance to move into the npower Championship play-off positions as they played out a goalless draw at the Amex Stadium.

The Seagulls had plenty of opportunities to break the deadlock, with Inigo Calderon – replacing the injured Bruno – almost marking his return to the side with an early goal, only to see his shot come back off the post.

Will Hoskins wasted a trio of chances and Brighton were almost made to rue their failure in front of goal when Billy Sharp, who brushed the crossbar, and Dexter Blackstock went close either side of half-time.

Goalless: Neither side could take their chances at the Amex

Goalless: Neither side could take their chances at the Amex

MATCH FACTS

Brighton: Kuszczak, Calderon, Bridge, Greer, El-Abd, Crofts, David Lopez (Barnes 77), Bridcutt (Hammond 84), Hoskins (LuaLua 69), Mackail-Smith, Buckley.

Subs Not Used: Brezovan, Dunk, Dobbie, Harley.

Booked: LuaLua.

Nottm Forest: Camp, Harding (Halford 46), Collins, Moussi, Hutton, Guedioura (Lansbury 59), Cohen, Reid (Gillett 90), Ayala, Blackstock, Sharp.

Subs Not Used: Darlow, McGugan, Majewski, Ward.

Booked: Reid, Halford.

Attendance: 26,684

Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire).

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Kazenga LuaLua, a 69th-minute change
for Hoskins, and Will Buckley almost netted winners late on in a second
half starved of chances, but goalkeeper Lee Camp was on top form to deny
the duo.

The stalemate leaves Gus Poyet's side without a win in three games now and one spot above ninth-placed Forest in the table.

Brighton boss Poyet made three
changes to the side that drew 2-2 with Charlton last week as Calderon,
David Lopez and Andrew Crofts started in place of Bruno, Stephen Dobbie
and Dean Hammond.

Despite beating Burnley 2-0 in their
last outing, Forest manager Sean O'Driscoll made four alterations to his
team with Guy Moussi, Chris Cohen, Adlene Guedioura and Daniel Ayala
playing.

The hosts almost opened their account
in the eighth minute but Calderon saw his left-footed shot from Craig
Mackail-Smith's cutback hit the post.

Brighton went close again shortly
afterwards when Hoskins shot wide from six yards before former England
full-back Wayne Bridge, given space down the left, drilled into the side
netting.

Poyet's outfit continued to dominate
and Hoskins wasted another two opportunities to net the opener,
volleying and heading over from crosses.
Forest midfielder Andy Reid failed to keep an effort down, while
Mackail-Smith went up the other end and fired across goal from a tight
angle after Hoskins set him free.

Camp had to be alert to tip over
Calderon's effort in the 39th minute, but the Seagulls almost went
behind on the stroke of half-time when Sharp clipped the bar from
Cohen's cross.

The visitors started the second half
like they finished the first and were close to netting the opening goal
as Blackstock poked substitute Greg Halford's cross wide.

Camp was on hand to save Calderon's
third effort, while Henri Lansbury – a 59th-minute replacement for
Guedioura – tested Tomasz Kuszczak from 12 yards.

LuaLua almost found the all-important
first goal nine minutes from time when he collected the ball on the
left and cut inside before unleashing a shot which the diving Camp
pushed to safety.

Camp was then on hand to deny Buckley, who had burst through after latching on to a Halford mistake.

Nottm Forest v Cardiff – match report: Andy Reid Daniel Ayala Billy Sharp Heider Helguson score

Nottm Forest 3 Cardiff 1: Bluebirds knocked off their perch by Reid, Ayala and Sharp

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UPDATED:

16:38 GMT, 20 October 2012

Cardiff lost top spot in the npower Championship with defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Forest had ended a five-game winless league run with victory over Peterborough prior to the international break.

Andy Reid scored the only goal of the game at London Road and it was the Irishman who opened the scoring here.

On-loan defender Daniel Ayala quickly added a second goal to give the hosts a 2-0 half-time lead.

Double or nothing: Daniel Ayala made it 2-0 with this header

Double or nothing: Daniel Ayala made it 2-0 with this header

MATCH FACTS

Nottm Forest: Camp, Halford, Ayala, Collins, Harding, Cohen, Gillett, Guedioura, Reid (Moussi 74), Cox (Majewski 46), Sharp, Majewski (Moloney 88). Subs not used: Evtimov, McGugan, Tudgay, Coppinger.

Sent Off: Guedioura (84).

Booked: Cox, Guedioura.

Goals: Reid 25, Ayala 27, Sharp 47.

Cardiff: Marshall,McNaughton (Mason 81), Hudson, Connolly, Taylor, Conway (Noone 62), Whittingham, Cowie, Gunnarsson (Gestede 65), Smith, Helguson. Subs not used: Lewis, Turner, Kim, Ralls.

Booked: Connolly, Hudson.

Goals: Helguson 74.

Att: 21,491.

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Forest made sure of all three points
shortly after the restart when Billy Sharp scored his first goal for the
club since arriving at the City Ground on loan from Southampton seven
weeks ago.

Heidar Helguson pulled a goal back
for Cardiff midway through the second half, but despite Forest finishing
the game with 10 men following Adlene Guedioura's red card for two
bookable offences, they were unable to make any more inroads.

It meant back-to-back league victories for Forest for the first time this season, halting Cardiff's three-match winning run.

And the Welsh side also lost leadership of the table after Leicester came from behind to draw at midlands rivals Birmingham.

An uneventful game came to life after 25 minutes when Reid was fouled by Kevin McNaughton on the edge of the Cardiff box.

The Dubliner, who scored with a
terrific curling effort at Peterborough a fortnight ago, repeated the
feat with the resulting free-kick, bending a left-foot shot into the top
corner and giving goalkeeper David Marshall no chance.

Two minutes later and it was 2-0 to Forest.

Ayala remained up in attack following
a long throw from Greg Halford, and when Reid returned the ball into
the box, the Norwich centre-half powered a header past Marshall from 10
yards out.

Gutted: Toomy Smith reflects on a missed opportunity

Gutted: Toomy Smith reflects on a missed opportunity

Helguson curled an effort over the crossbar as Cardiff sought an immediate response.

A nice move by Cardiff just before
half-time then ended with the recalled Craig Conway falling over his own
feet and Forest midfielder Chris Cohen clearing the danger.

Forest went further ahead two minutes into the second half.

Sharp held up the ball, spun his
marker and ran at the Cardiff defence. He played a one-two with
substitute Radoslaw Majewski, on at the break in place of Simon Cox,
before shooting beneath Marshall for his first goal for the club.

Don Cowie saw a shot go narrowly wide as the visitors tried to respond.
Mark Hudson and Helguson missed chances to reduce Cardiff's arrears before the latter did so after 74 minutes.

Strength in reserve: Jermaine Jenas and Henri Lansbury were in the stands

Strength in reserve: Jermaine Jenas and Henri Lansbury were in the stands

Helguson controlled a high ball into the box, held off his marker and fired his shot beyond home keeper Lee Camp from 12 yards.

Cardiff were almost right back in it
soon afterwards when the fit-again Tommy Smith struck a post with an
effort from inside the area.

Had that gone in, it would have set up a frantic finale, particularly given Guedioura's red card in the 84th minute.

But Cardiff, despite some late pressure, were unable to make the game any closer and Forest claimed an impressive win.

Huddersfield 1 Nottingham Forest 1

Huddersfield 1 Nottingham Forest 1: Rhodes last-gasp penalty salvages point for Town

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UPDATED:

21:18 GMT, 21 August 2012

Jordan Rhodes' stoppage-time penalty salvaged a point for Huddersfield after Simon Cox looked to have marked his first Nottingham Forest start with the winner at the John Smith's Stadium.

Rhodes barely touched the ball all evening, but he showed why he is so highly sought after by keeping his cool to slot home from the spot three minutes into time added on after Dan Harding had brought down Jack Hunt.

It looked like the Terriers' first home game in the npower Championship after an 11-year absence from the second tier would end defeat after Cox, a recent 2million signing from West Brom, struck midway through the second half.

Get in: Simon Cox (right) celebrates scoring the opener for Nottingham Forest

Get in: Simon Cox (right) celebrates scoring the opener for Nottingham Forest

MATCH FACTS:

Huddersfield: Smithies, Hunt, Peter Clarke, Lynch, Dixon (Arfield 81), Norwood, Clayton, Southern (Gerrard 86), Scannell, Rhodes, Novak (Ward 81).

Subs Not Used: Bennett, Woods, Lee, Spencer.

Booked: Ward.

Goals: Rhodes 90 pen.

Nottm Forest: Camp, Moloney, Collins, Halford, Harding, Reid, Gillett, McGugan (Moussi 81), Guedioura, Blackstock (Tudgay 75), Cox (Hutchinson 88).

Subs Not Used: Evtimov, McGoldrick, Miller, Majewski.

Booked: Halford, Gillett, Hutchinson.

Goals: Cox 68.

Attendance: 15,434

Ref: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).

Check out all the latest, stats, facts and table from the Championship

But Simon Grayson's side were not to
be denied and Rhodes held his nerve to beat Lee Camp. Forest will feel
hard done by as Lewis McGugan and Cox were both denied by the woodwork
in the first half.

But Huddersfield also had their
chances in a open encounter in West Yorkshire and they are up and
running after a defeat to Cardiff last Friday.

Forest played with a swagger right
from the kick-off and they were unfortunate not to be in front after
just three minutes, when McGugan's long-range drive rattled the post.

Huddersfield started nervously and
left-back Paul Dixon's sloppy backpass should have been punished by
Dexter Blackstock, who shot straight at the advancing Alex Smithies.

Sean Scannell was a dangerous outlet
for the Terriers and the summer signing from Crystal Palace fired a shot
over the crossbar 14 minutes in.

And Huddersfield should have been in
front six minutes later when Adam Clayton picked out Lee Novak with a
pinpoint pass, but the striker fired wildly over the crossbar.

Forest looked dangerous every time
they came forward and Huddersfield almost gifted them the opening goal
when Scannell's wild attempted clearance went straight up in the air and
Blackstock headed on for Cox, whose close-range finish was well blocked
by Smithies.

The visitors came close once again
after 25 minutes when midfielder Adlene Guedioura controlled the ball on
his chest and swivelled before unleashing a vicious right-footed volley
which Smithies palmed over the bar.

Forest were dictating the game and
Brendan Moloney raced away down the right before cutting the ball back
for an unmarked Blackstock, whose shot was cleared off the line by Jack
Smith and, when the ball fell nicely for Cox, his shot was palmed onto
the bar by Smithies.

The Terriers had the first chance of
the second half, but Keith Southern prodded the ball over the bar when
Oliver Norwood's corner fell nicely for him eight yards out.

And he was made to pay for that miss
when Forest took the lead in the 68th minute when the impressive McGugan
played in Cox and the Republic of Ireland striker raced away and beat
Smithies with a clinical left-footed finish.

But Smith charged into the penalty
area with time running out and drew the tackle from Harding and, after
referee Neil Swarbrick awarded a penalty, Rhodes picked his spot to
rescue a point.

Leicester 0 Nottingham Forest 0: Snore draw

Leicester 0 Nottingham Forest 0: Snore draw all but ends Foxes promotion hopes

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UPDATED:

21:30 GMT, 27 March 2012

The east midlands honours were even at the King Power Stadium in a goalless stalemate which does more for Nottingham Forest's npower Championship survival hopes than it does for Leicester's fading play-off aspirations.

Leicester, who would have moved within two points of the top six with victory, dominated the first half without making a breakthrough as Forest goalkeeper Lee Camp denied Sol Bamba and Ben Marshall.

Chances were few and far between in the second half. The closest either side came to a goal was when Adlene Guedioura's header clipped the top of the Leicester crossbar with 15 minutes remaining.

Scrappy: The east Midlands derby failed to match the hype

Scrappy: The east Midlands derby failed to match the hype

MATCH FACTS

Leicester: Schmeichel, Peltier, Bamba, St Ledger, Konchesky, Dyer (Howard 78), Drinkwater, Marshall, Morgan, Beckford, Nugent (Schlupp 64). Subs Not Used: King, Kennedy, Moore.

Booked: Drinkwater.

Nottm Forest: Camp, Wootton, Cunningham, Chambers, Reid (Higginbotham 90), Gunter, Moussi, Guedioura, Majewski (Tudgay 68), Blackstock, Lynch. Subs Not Used: Smith, Miller, McGugan.

Booked: Wootton.

Attendance: 23,412

Referee: Scott Mathieson (Cheshire).

The draw gives Forest a five-point cushion above the relegation zone.

Both sides made one enforced change from the weekend. Centre-half Bamba capably filled the spot in the Leicester midfield vacated by the suspended Neil Danns while Forest lost in-form winger Garath McCleary to a hamstring injury, meaning Chris Gunter played on the right and Scott Wootton came into the defence.

The first real chance came Forest's way after 11 minutes. Gunter's cross was just too high for Dexter Blackstock but a half clearance fell to Guedioura, who skipped past one man before his low shot from the left-hand side was saved by Kasper Schmeichel.

Soon afterwards Bamba worked Camp at the other end with a 20-yard volley, the technique befitting of a centre-forward rather than a centre-half.

Forest full-back Greg Cunningham saw a goalbound shot from the left side of the box hacked away from on the six-yard line when Schmeichel was beaten.

Marshall scored his first league goal for Leicester against Hull on Saturday and the winger would have had his second midway through the first half had Camp not got fingertips to his 25-yard shot.

Scramble: Kasper Schmeichel

Scramble: Kasper Schmeichel

Leicester produced the move of the match in the 34th minute. Bamba got the home fans on their feet, winning successive 50-50 challenges against Blackstock and Guy Moussi in the centre of midfield before marauding goalwards.

The Ivory Coast international played the ball out to the left to Jermaine Beckford who put Lloyd Dyer through but his low shot whistled narrowly wide.

Gunter and Radoslaw Majewski threatened for Forest either side of half-time but neither really troubled Schmeichel.

Both sides struggled to create openings after the break.

Guedioura came closest to a goal after 75 minutes when his glancing header from Andy Reid's inswinging free-kick skimmed the bar.

Forest captain Luke Chambers looped a header on to the roof of the net from another Reid cross soon afterwards in the only other chance of note in the second half.

Leeds 3 Nottingham Forest 7: United torn apart at Elland Road as McCleary runs riot

Leeds 3 Nottingham Forest 7: McCleary runs riot as 'Sunday League' Leeds torn apart

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UPDATED:

23:44 GMT, 20 March 2012

Garath McCleary came up with a convincing argument for being kept on by cash-strapped Nottingham Forest after shaping one of the scorelines of the season at a stunned Elland Road.

The midfielder, 24, is out of contract in the summer and has yet to be offered new terms, due to Forest’s financial crisis.

Manager Steve Cotterill may just be tempted to pass a begging bowl round the City Ground, though, after McCleary scored four times to wreck Leeds’ faint play-off hopes.

Pure delight: Nottingham Forest put a serious dent in Leeds' promotion hopes at Elland Road

Pure delight: Nottingham Forest put a serious dent in Leeds' promotion hopes at Elland Road

MATCH FACTS

Leeds: Lonergan, Connolly, Lees, O'Dea, Robinson (Pugh 66), White (Webber 46), Clayton, Brown, Snodgrass,Becchio (Paynter 80), McCormack.

Subs Not Used: Forssell,Thompson

Booked: Robinson.

Goals: Snodgrass 6 pen, Becchio 53, Brown 55

Nottm Forest: Camp, Gunter, Chambers, Lynch, Cunningham, McCleary, Moussi (McGugan 86), Guedioura, Reid, Blackstock (Miller 84), Majewski (Wootton 84).

Subs Not Used: Smith, Greening.

Booked: Reid.

Goals: Guedioura 8, McCleary 45,Blackstock 52, McCleary 56,60,71, Blackstock 81.

Att: 21,367

Ref: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).

‘Garath is a wonderful boy,’ beamed Cotterill.

‘He has scored more goals tonight than he had appearances last season, but he is a special talent. I’ve never been in charge of a team that’s scored seven, and to do it at a place like this makes it even better.’

It was the first time Leeds have ever conceded seven at home in the League, but there was little sign of the mayhem to come when Adlene Guedioura tripped Ross McCormack for a sixth-minute penalty that Robert Snodgrass converted.

Guedioura made amends with a 35-yard strike Leeds legend Peter Lorimer would have been proud of in the eighth minute.

Guedioura looked like hogging the headlines after leading a lightning-quick 45th-minute breakaway and setting up McCleary for a drive that went in off the underside of the bar.

It was McCleary who took top billing, though, once Dexter Blackstock had put Forest 3-1 ahead with a far-post header in the 52nd minute.

Luciano Becchio bundled home a Snodgrass cutback in the 53rd minute and Leeds were level two minutes later through Michael Brown’s 20-yard strike.

Their joy was short-lived, as McCleary spectacularly volleyed home a Blackstock flick-on in the 56th minute and completed his hat-trick on the hour.

McCleary cut in from the right and beat Lonergan in the 71st minute, and the play-offs could hardly have been further from Neil Warnock’s thoughts when Forest made it seven in the 81st minute, as Blackstock seized on defensive uncertainty.

Head boy: Dexter Blackstock jumped highest at the back post to make it 3-1

Head boy: Dexter Blackstock jumped highest at the back post to make it 3-1

High five: Forest's Garath McCleary grabbed four of his side's goals

High five: Forest's Garath McCleary grabbed four of his side's goals

The Leeds boss, who faces a
pre-arranged session with fans at Elland Road tomorrow, said: ‘I’m quite
embarrassed by the result, but you learn more about your players at
moments like this, rather than when you’re winning. It tells you who is
prepared to stand up and be counted, who you want alongside you in the
trenches.

‘We fought back really well to get to 3-3, but their fourth goal was straight off a Sunday League pitch. That demoralises you.’

Don't get used to it: Robert Snodgrass had earlier given Leeds a firm footing in the game

Don't get used to it: Robert Snodgrass had earlier given Leeds a firm footing in the game

Upset: Leeds boss Neil Warnock saw his side ripped apart at home

Upset: Leeds boss Neil Warnock saw his side ripped apart at home

Nottm Forest 1 Watford 1: Troy puts hosts deeper in relegation mire

Nottm Forest 1 Watford 1: Troy puts hosts deeper in relegation mire

Leveller: Troy Deeney

Leveller: Troy Deeney

Troy Deeney's first-half header earned Watford a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on an emotional day at the City Ground.

A minute's applause was held before kick-off for Forest owner Nigel Doughty who died last weekend and it was the home side who dominated for long spells.

They deservedly went in front through Gareth McCleary's 25-yard strike before Deeney equalised a minute before the break.

Forest pressed in the second half
and Chris Gunter was unlucky to see a volley hit the bar, while John
Eustace also crashed a shot against the woodwork.

The result ended Forest's six-match
losing run in the league at home but they remained five points adrift of
safety, while Watford extended their unbeaten run to three matches.

MATCH FACTS

NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Camp, Chambers, Wootton (Reid 87), Higginbottom, Elokobi, Gunterm Moussi, Guedioura, McCleary, Miller (Findley 75), Harewood (Blackstock 80). Unused subs: Smith, Lynch.

Goals: McCleary 19

Booked: Gunter, Miller

WATFORD: Loach, Hodson, Mariappa, Nosworthy, Doyley, Murray (Iwelumo 69), Eustace, Hogg, Kacaniklic (Yeates 62), Garner, Deeney. Unused subs: Bond, Dickinson, Buaben.

Goals: Deeney 44

Booked: Nosworthy, Doyley, Garner

Referee: Jon Moss

Forest manager Steve Cotterill
fielded a new-look back four with loan signings George Elokobi, Danny
Higginbotham and Scott Wootton starting alongside returning captain Luke
Chambers.

Watford went into the game looking
for a third successive victory and manager Sean Dyche kept faith with
the side that had started the previous two matches.

The home side started well and
Ishmael Miller almost got through on goal from a Marlon Harewood flick
on before Adlene Guedioura saw a shot blocked.

Forest fans had not seen their team
score in the last seven home matches but with 19 minutes gone they had a
goal to cheer when McCleary's 25-yard effort went in off the post to
give the Reds the lead.

Nottingham Forest immediately went in
search of a second and Gunter was sent through but his lob over Scott
Loach was cleared away.

Moments later, Miller also had a clear sight of goal only to see his shot well saved by Loach.

Watford responded and almost levelled
when Jonathan Hogg's header found Eustace unmarked but his header was
parried away by Lee Camp.

With a minute of the half remaining
Watford drew level when Sean Murray's lofted free-kick was met by Deeney
who headed past Camp.

Forest looked to have regrouped at
the start of the second half and McCleary picked out Miller who
fashioned some space for a shot but his effort was blocked.

Harewood also went close with a free-kick from 30 yards that had Loach scrambling.

The hosts went even closer to going
back in front when Harewood picked out Gunter and his thundering volley
cannoned off the crossbar.

Watford still looked dangerous
themselves and Adrian Mariappa had a near-post header saved by Camp
before Eustace saw a shot hit the bar.

Gunter had been at the centre of most
of Forest's dangerous moves and he had another chance with 12 minutes
remaining but fired over from 12 yards.