Notts F 2 Middlesbrough 2: Bobo denied as Forest changes work

After Kei Kamara and George Friend had given Boro a two-goal cushion, Davies sent on Matt Derbyshire and Darius Henderson and they both earned ‘super-sub’ status to score a goal apiece as Forest came back from the dead to deny Tony Mowbray’s men an unlikely victory.

Forest had claims for a penalty turned down, when Radoslaw Majewski’s shot hit a lunging Jonathan Woodgate on the arm, but Boro launched a decisive counter-attack through Adomah before delivering the cross for Kamara to fire home and give the visitors the lead after 18 minutes.

Forest were handed a golden chance to level after 35 minutes, when Majewski was crudely upended by Williams in the area as he tried to latch on to Djamel Abdoun’s cross, but Andy Reid’s penalty was brilliantly saved by Jason Steele.

Forest were made to pay for their failure as Boro increased their lead after 55 minutes. Grant Leadbitter and Marvin Emnes combined to set up left-back Friend, who crashed a shot into the top corner.

Reds boss Davies had seen enough and he made a double substitution. Forest finally managed to get a toe-hold on the match, when Reid’s cross was headed in by Derbyshire before Henderson nodded home.

Nottm Forest: Darlow, Lichaj, Hobbs, Wilson (Halford 10), Cohen, Abdoun,Lansbury,Majewski (Henderson 58),Reid, Cox (Derbyshire 58),Mackie. Unused substitutes: Moussi, Jara, Paterson, De Vries.

Middlesbrough: Steele, Richardson, Woodgate, Rhys Williams, Friend, Butterfield, Leadbitter, Whitehead, Kamara (Jutkiewicz 81), Emnes (Ledesma 77), Adomah (Carayol 80). Unused substitutes: Hoyte, Gibson, Leutwiler, Smallwood.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).