Reading 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Dann rescues a point for Royals

Scott Dann’s second-half goal rescued a point for Reading as they earned a draw at home to Nottingham Forest.

The Royals fell behind after just four minutes when Philip Zinckernagel opened the scoring after four minutes.

After a disappointing opening 45, Reading responded with a much improved second-half and found the net from a corner as Dann applied the finishing touch.

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Back in the dugout after a two-game absence, Veljko Paunovic made just one change from Reading’s away win at Birmingham City prior to the international break as Danny Drinkwater replaced Tom Dele-Bashiru.

Meanwhile, new signing Andy Carroll was named among the substitutes.

There were still several important first-team players out on the sidelines with injury, including Andy Rinomhota, Alen Halilovic and Tom McIntyre, who all failed late fitness tests.

Jahmari Clarke also missed out after picking up a minor injury for the U23’s having scored a winning brace at Birmingham.

Reading made a disastrous start at the Select Car Leasing Stadium and found themselves behind after just four minutes.

Forest forward Zinckernagel waltzed his way through two lazy challenges and then fired the ball past Luke Southwood into the corner with an emphatic finish.

Andy Yiadom had plenty of licence to roam forward due to the three-at-the-back system. And provided plenty of attacking threat throughout the half.

He pulled the ball back in the box for Danny Drinkwater who blasted an effort towards goala that was parried away by Bryce Samba before Forest hacked the ball away on the line.

George Puscas then came close to connecting with an inviting cross from Baba Rahman but couldn’t stretch to it.

Ovie Ejaria intercepted Joe Worrall’s loose pass as he looked to slp in Puscas on the break, but he was stood well offside, and would have had a free run on goal had he held his run.

Reading’s pressing was proving to be effective as Josh Laurent won the ball tenaciously and drove towards the box, but couldn’t get a shot away as the attack petered out.

Drinkwater played a stray pass in the Reading half that could have been punished had Lewis Grabban been able to get a proper connection on his shot.

Rahman tested the gloves of Samba just after the half four mark with a powerful strike that was batted away by the Forest keeper, before Joe Lolley responded with an effort for Forest but hit his shot wildly over the bar.

Both sides picked up cautions as Liam Moore was booked for Reading before Ryan Yates went into the book for Forest.

Another chance nearly came the way of Puscas as the ball fell into his path but Samba rushed off his line to make a vital stop. But the Romanian forward was again flagged for offside.

A slick Forest move ended with Brennan Johnson hitting a curling shot just wide.

Drinkwater had two efforts at goal to end the half, his first was well held by Samba before his second flew high and wide.

Reading almost fell further behind just five minutes after the restart as former Royals loanee Lewis Grabban danced his way into the box and his shot looked destinedfor th net, but skipper Moore was perfectly placed to block it on the line.

Swift won the ball deep in the Forest half to set up a shot for Puscas, but he curled his effort just wide of the far post.

Paunovic made his first change just after an hour as Carroll came on for his Royals debut to replace Moore.

Carroll’s impact was immediately felt as he headed down a cross for Swift, but Forest managed to scramble the ball clear for a corner.

But from the resulting set-piece, Reading got themselves level as Scott Dann converted from close range after Forest failed to deal with the danger.

The hosts piled the pressure on after finding some momentum as Puscas fired a fierce effort at goal that was well held by Samba.

With just under 20 minutes left, Reading’s second change saw Dele-Bashiru replace Drinkwater.

Grabban almost punished Reading when he took the ball past Sothwood but could only find the side netting from a narrow angle.

Paunovic’s team looked more likely to grab a winner as Puscas and Swift both had shots blocked by the Forest defence.

There was almost a calamity at the back when Rahman’s poor touch nearly let Forest in on the counter attack. He looked to have won the ball back with a recovery tackle, but the referee awarded a free-kick to Forest and a caution to the Royals left-back.

But the sides had to share the spoils at one apiece at the full-time whistle.