Bolton 1-1 Forest
Posted: Sat 22 Aug 2015
Author: Nick Richardson
Substitute David Vaughan saw his sensational effort cancelled out in second-half stoppage time as Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 at Bolton this afternoon.
The Welshman was brought on with 16 minutes to play in a match which looked destined for a draw after Wanderers missed a penalty earlier in the second half.
But Vaughan had other ideas, lashing home a superb long-range effort with nine minutes to play.
Forest were headed for victory until, in the fourth minute of added time, Stephen Dobbie struck a dramatic equaliser.
Dougie Freedman made six changes to the team that drew with Charlton on Tuesday.
Two of them were forced as injured duo Jamie Ward and Dexter Blackstock made way for Michail Antonio and Tyler Walker.
There were debuts for Spanish left back Daniel Pinillos and Dutch central midfielder Kyle Ebecilio, while Ben Osborn was handed his first start of the season after recovering from injury and illness.
Jack Hobbs was selected as Matt Mills’ central defensive partner as Kelvin Wilson, Chris Burke, Oliver Burke and David Vaughan had to settle for a place on the bench.
The Reds made a bright start to the game and created the first chance on seven minutes. Michael Mancienne, playing in defensive midfield, linked up well with Ebecilio as Forest worked the ball to Antonio on the left. The winger cut inside to avoid a challenge but knocked the ball a little too far ahead of himself to strike it cleanly, sending his shot wide of the near post.
Bolton were on the lookout for their first goal of the season and they nearly got it on 13 minutes after Dean Moxey did well to dig out a cross from the left-hand byline. Dorian Dervite arrived late to meet the ball but could only head it over the bar.
Forest were pressing their visitors high up the field in the early stages of the half. Mancienne did well to win possession 25 yards from goal and the ball came to Lansbury on the edge of the area. The midfielder opted to shoot on his right, opening his foot on the effort and sending the ball over.
Neither side were in real control and Bolton worked a chance of their own on 22 minutes after good link up play between captain Mark Davies and youngster Zach Clough. The former carried the ball towards Forest’s area before sending it wide.
The Reds’ next chance came courtesy of a counter attack launched by Antonio. The winger did well to nick the ball away from a Bolton man inside his own area and raced away with it down the left. Osborn had made a lung-busting run down the right to provide support, and Antonio played a nice angled ball to present the midfielder with a shooting opportunity inside the area. With the angle against him and the shot coming on his weaker right foot, Osborn failed to seriously trouble Wanderers keeper Ben Amos.
The names of two Forest players entered referee Carl Boyeson’s notebook before half-time, Mancienne for a foul on Wellington Silva and Lichaj for a challenge deemed reckless by Boyeson.
The resultant free-kick saw Clough drift into space in the middle to meet the ball but he glanced it wide, leaving the match goalless going into the break.
Within five minutes of the restart, however, Bolton had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock.
Boyeson spotted a nudge by Mills on Clough as the two challenged for a ball in the area and pointed to the spot. Gary Madine took responsibility but saw his spotkick saved by de Vries. The ball came back to the forward but, under pressure, he headed the ball wide.
The let-off sparked a quick reaction from Forest, who won a free-kick in a good crossing position. Hobbs peeled into space at the back post to met Osborn’s delivery but couldn’t bring the ball down in time and Bolton bundled the ball behind.
Walker and Osborn took a clever corner which resulted in the latter dinking the ball into the middle. Antonio had to rise high to meet it six yards out but he could only head it over.
Four minutes later Forest won a free-kick 25 yards out. Lansbury’s effort took a nick off the wall and looped a yard over the bar.
Freedman’s first change saw the experienced Chris Burke replace Osborn on the right. But it was one of Forest’s youngsters, Tyler Walker, who carved out their next opportunity.
The striker held the ball up well on the halfway line and showed excellent awareness to spin and release Antonio into Bolton’s half. The weight of Walker’s pass was perfect for Antonio to take the ball in his stride, ghost away from Bolton’s defence and race through one-on-one with Amos but he could only stroke the ball straight at the keeper.
Bolton followed that miss up with two golden opportunities of they twice saw the ball deflect off a Forest man and just wide of de Vries’ post.
But the end-to-end nature of the match continued as Forest worked the ball to Chris Burke, who in turn cut it back for Ebecilio in the area. The ball was just behind the new signing and he could only harmlessly scuff his effort.
That was to be Ebecilio’s final action as he was replaced by Vaughan on 74 minutes.
And it transpired to be an inspired switch as, seven minutes later, the Welshman received the ball in midfield, edged his way into shooting territory and struck the ball sweetly into the top corner from 25 yards.
Forest’s final change came with five minutes to play as Danny Fox replaced Walker. Fox moved into left midfield with Antonio taking up lone striker duties.
Five minutes were added on at the end of the match and Neil Lennon sent Dobbie on to the field with his last throw of the dice.
And it paid off as, in the fourth minute of added time, the substitute fired the ball low past de Vries from the edge of the area to earn his side a point.
Forest: De Vries, Lichaj, Mills, Hobbs, Pinillos, Mancienne, Antonio, Ebecilio (Vaughan 74'), Osborn (C Burke 58'), Lansbury (c), Walker (Fox 86')
Subs not used: Evtimov, Wilson, O Burke, Grant
Goal: Vaughan 81'
Bookings: Mancienne 37', Lichaj 44', Mills 50', Walker 76'
Bolton: Amos, Wilson, Prince, Dervite, Moxey, Davies (c), Danns, Walker (Feeney 46'), Silva (Heskey 84'), Clough (Dobbie 90'), Madine
Subs not used: Fitzsimons, Vela, Spearing, Finney
Goal: Dobbie 90'
Booking: Danns 79'
Referee: Carl Boyeson
Attendance: 16,410 (1,827 away)
Quelle: nottinghamforest.co.uk
