Nottingham Forest 1-1 Preston: Goalkeepers on top at City Ground

Goalkeepers Vladimir Stojkovic and Chris Maxwell both impressed as Nottingham Forest and Preston fought out a 1-1 draw at the City Ground.

Forest stopper Stojkovic made a string of saves during a first half dominated by Simon Grayson's side, before Simon Makienok eventually broke his resolve in the 45th minute.

The Reds were on top after the break, with Maxwell having to make some important saves, even if it was his own goal which eventually brought the hosts level when Thomas Lam's low shot hit the foot of the post and bounced in off the keeper's heels in the 68th minute.

Forest looked the more likely to snatch a winner as they piled on late pressure but Philippe Montanier's side had to settle for a point.

Stojkovic made a superb save to thwart Callum Robinson in the first two minutes, with the keeper quick off his line to make a fine block.

Either side of half-hearted efforts for Forest from Ben Osborn and Matty Cash - who might have done better with a volley at the far post - Stojkovic saw Alex Baptiste flash a shot just wide of goal before then having to make another save to deny Alan Browne.

Browne had connected sweetly with a long-range effort that Stojkovic touched onto the post as the visitors looked to take advantage of a six-minute spell when Forest were reduced to 10 men as Damien Perquis received stitches for a head injury.

Nicklas Bendtner's low shot lacked the power to trouble Preston keeper Maxwell but the Dane threatened again with a driving run that took him beyond two players before the ball deflected to Osborn, whose crisp shot was smartly saved.

Forest should have gone ahead as half-time approached, with Bendtner again at the centre of things, but after being picked out by a deep cross from Lichaj, he lifted a first-time shot over the bar.

Former Forest man Greg Cunningham then launched an attack down the left to carve out the visitors' goal. The wing-back fed the ball to Makienok, who beat Stojkovic from close range.

Forest brought on Armand Traore at half-time and changed formation, with Pereira immediately carving out a chance for Cash who saw his angled shot saved.

Maxwell denied Cash again before Bendtner saw a shot deflected just the wrong side of the upright.

The pressure eventually told when Lam drove in a shot from just inside the box which cannoned back off the foot of the post, leaving Maxwell no time to react as it bounced across the face of goal and into the back of the net off his heels.

Sub Pajtim Kasami was denied a goal with his first touch by Maxwell, who was now the busier of the two keepers, while sub Apostolos Vellios was inches away from converting a Traore cross.

Baptiste saved Preston again when he headed a Vellios effort away, off the line, albeit off the underside of the bar.