Nottingham Forest 1 Derby County 1
By Our Man at the match
September 29 2003
Derby County came away with honour intact and a point to show for some determined play at the City Ground against a Forest side that were expected to win with ease.

Forest 1 Rams 1

Rams fans went home happy after seeing the Rams take a point off of highflying Nottingham Forest. Forest were expected to take the points as the home side and several leading pundits had predicted a win by several goals. This didn’t materialise, as it was the Rams who took the lead in the game with a well-taken goal by the Rams Brazilian striker Junior.

The lead was however short lived as Forest drew level through Andy Reid who’s cross shot was palmed on to a post by Rams keeper Andy Oakes but the ball ended up in the net.

The game was delicately poised and either side could or should have won the match. It was the Rams who came closest to snatching all three points as they twice struck the underside of the Forest crossbar.

Michael Johnson had what looked like an easy chance to win the game following a free kick in the dying minutes but stuck the bar with his shot. The Free kick was following the sending off of Forest’s John Thompson. Thompson did not contest the sending off and he later admitted that he deserved to be sent off, Forest Manager Paul Hart was also of the same opinion.

Michael Johnson came through the game well after fears that he would not be able to play for six weeks following a clash with an advertising board in the clash with Watford just over a week ago. The 30-year old defender was even a contender for man of the match for his efforts in defence, and as stated earlier, also in an attacking role.

So the Rams are now unbeaten in four games and it seems that George Burley is at last turning the ship around after a disastrous start to the season, although there is still a long way to go in this campaign and further improvement still has to be made if the Rams are to secure a safe league position by Christmas.

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.