Doncaster Rovers earn a hard fought point at the City Ground with a 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest.
Saturday, 8th March 2014 at City Ground, Nottingham
Skybet League Championship
Nottingham Forest 0 Doncaster Rovers 0
Referee Mr Eddie Ilderton
Attendance - 27,402 (1,313 visitors)
A sunny spring afternoon made it perfect weather for playing football. Rovers turned out the same team that started the game against Watford on Tuesday.
Quinn received a head injury in the first minute and was off the pitch for five minutes before returning to with his head bandaged.
Forest did most of the early attacking, with Majewski giving inside to Paterson, who put across to Cox at the far post area but his weak effort was easily saved by Johnstone.
In the tenth minute a low cross from the Forest right by Majewski went across the face of goal but the onrushing Cox couldn't get there and the ball ran away and out. Minutes later and Cox had a good chance but put wide from 15yards.
In the 20th minute, Coppinger got down the Rovers right and put over a good cross which was played out of the Forest defence to Wellens, whose cracking volley from 25yards was pushed round the post by Darlow diving to his left.
The corner kick came out of the Forest defence to Coppinger and his fierce drive was also pushed out by Darlow for another corner.
At the other end Halford, for Forest, was played in on goal but his poor effort was saved comfortably by Johnstone.
Just before the half hour Forest won a free kick about 25 yards out in a central position. Jara went for goal but Johnstone saved well.
Past the half hour and Cotterill came in from the left to the edge of the penalty area before hitting a low shot wide of the near post.
In the 35th minute Majewski received about sixteen yards out to the right of goal and blasted a shot to the far corner of goal. Johnstone got down brilliantly to parry it away. A couple of follow-up shots by the Forest were blocked and the ball was eventually cleared.
Four minutes later a Forest free kick just outside the Rovers penalty area to the left of goal was headed over the bar by Collins.
The 43rd minute brought a good build-up by Rovers down their right. Eventually Duffy cut in and hit a rasper just over the bar.
Half Time - Nottingham Forest 0 Doncaster Rovers 0
Rovers got the second half underway and won a corner on their left. Duffy played it out to Husband on the edge of the penalty area but the ball sat up and Husband put it high and wide.
Four minutes in and a good build-up by Rovers ended with Wellens volleying just over the bar from 30yards.
Over the next fifteen minutes Forest went on the offensive but they were held at bay by the defence, with Johnstone not called on to make a real save.
Forest made a couple of substitutions bringing on their big and experienced strike force, Mackie and Henderson.
In the 67th minute Rovers got back into the game, with Duffy, despite the attentions of a Forest defender, getting in a shot from the edge of the penalty area but Darlow saved comfortably.
Then, following a free kick, Sharp had a good effort from the left blocked but won the corner. Husband followed this with a run down the left before passing inside to Duffy but he fired wide from 25yards.
A corner to Forest was well caught by Johnstone and a few minutes later they brought on a third striker, Derbyshire.
As the last fifteen minutes came up Rovers pushed forward. A corner and a couple of free kicks caused problems in the Forest defence. From the second free kick, Brown running in met it but shot wide.
Husband had a go from the left, with the keeper only managing to push it out at the near post
As time began to run out Forest hit back with a couple of corners then Cotterill at the other end cut in from the left but shot wide of the far post.
In the 90th minute a fierce drive from Majewski about 25yards to the left of goal was brilliantly tipped over by Johnstone.
The Forest crowd urged their team on but it was not going to be for them. Rovers had done well all round and a point was well deserved.
Result - Nottingham Forest 0 Doncaster Rovers 0
Teams - Nottingham Forest - Karl Darlow; Danny Collins, Andy Reid (c), Danny Fox, Jonathan Greening, Greg Halford, Jamaal Lascelles, Gonzalo Jara, Jamie Paterson, Radoslaw Majewski, Simon Cox
Subs used - Jamie Mackie for Reid 60 mins; Darius Henderson for Cox 66 mins; Matt Derbyshire for Halford 73 mins;
Subs not used - Guy Moussi, Kevin Gomis, Djamal Abdoun, Dorus De Vries gk
Caution - Fox 30 mins;
ROVERS - Sam Johnstone; James Coppinger, Paul Quinn, Abdoulaye Meite, James Husband; Mark Duffy, Richie Wellens (c), Paul Keegan, David Cotterill; Chris Brown, Billy Sharp
Subs not used - Dean Furman, Luke McCullough, Marc De Val, Theo Robinson, Enda Stevens, Jordan Bowery, Jon Maxted gk
Caution - Brown 69 mins; Johnstone 90+3 mins;