Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leeds United

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Sam ByramImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Sam Byram was left out for a month as his contract runs out but has now scored three times in his past three games

Sam Byram hit a late low strike to end Nottingham Forest's winning home run and give Leeds a point.

Byram, who could leave the club next month, drove in from 25 yards to score with Leeds' first shot on target.

Earlier Nelson Oliveira took advantage of a mix-up in the Leeds defence to give Forest the lead.

Leeds dominated possession throughout but were poor in front of goal until Byram's strike, while Forest sub Oliver Burke hit the post in the 90th minute.

A Forest winner would have been hard on Leeds, who became the first team to take a point from the City Ground since late October.

The visitors looked slick on the ball early on but were undone by Matt Mills' long ball over the top. Centre-back Giuseppe Bellusci and goalkeeper Marco Silvestri both failed to clear, allowing Oliveira to go on and tap into an empty net.

Mills then had a header cleared off the line by Luke Murphy, and Forest substitute Jamie Ward had a shot turned over by Silvestri before Leeds mounted a late challenge.

Byram, whose contract expires at the end of the season and is expected to be sold in January, picked the ball up in space in a central area and shot low into the corner.

Leeds substitute Mirco Antenucci then sliced badly wide as Steve Evans' side came to life, with Chris Wood fluffing a close-range effort straight at Dorus de Vries.

It was Forest who came closer to winning a sixth home Championship game in a row though when Burke's miscued volley beat Silvestri and hit the base of the post.

The draw extends both sides' unbeaten records and leaves Leeds in 12th and Forest 13th in the Championship table - seven and eight points behind the play-off places respectively.

Nottingham Forest boss Dougie Freedman talking to the club website:, external

"I was trying to go and win the game two or three-nil because that's the only way you can beat Leeds. Doing so, I increase my chances of losing but also of winning.

"We felt if we had a good structure we could hit them on the counter attack. I felt it was a gameplan that was working.

"Credit to Leeds, their fans demand their team goes for 95 minutes and they did that. I didn't see my goalkeeper get worked too much. Of course we're disappointed with the goal but it was a fantastic strike."

Leeds manager Steve Evans on Sky Sports:

"If it's a boxing match the towel would have come in. For all our dominance we made a mistake on the breakaway.

"Some of our play in the second half was exceptional. We opened them up a number of times and on another day we go on to win.

"I am a manager that wants the lads to be brave and pass it, I am going to encourage them to keep trying to pass it."

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