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A smash-and-grab last minute penalty from striker Jordan Rhodes rescued a point for Huddersfield Town in a game which was largely dominated by the visitors Nottingham Forest.

Forest had hit the woodwork twice earlier in the match and took the lead on 68 minutes when Simon Cox scored his first goal for his new club since moving from West Brom a few weeks ago.

Town huffed and puffed but lacked the killer edge Forest had and with the clock ticking away it looked as though the visitors were going to take all the points when in added time Jack Hunt jinxed his way into the box before being brought down by Dan Harding. Rhodes dispatched the 94th minute penalty that went in off the post and it is now his 42nd goal in in last 50 games from club and country.

The Scottish international, starting ahead of Scott Arfield, was back from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the opening game against Cardiff. That was the only change from the side that lost in South Wales only 4 days earlier.

Forest's class was there to see from the start as their midfield consisting of Lewis McGugan, Andy Reid and Adlene Guedioura were keeping the ball well and leaving the Town midfield chasing the ball.

It only took just 4 minutes to give Town a scare when McGugan hit a low 25 yard shot that hit the base of the post.

Alex Smithies came to the rescue when Paul Dixon poor back pass to Joel Lynch allowed Dexter Blackstock in on goal but the Town stopper was out off his line to block the danger.

Lee Novak wasted a glorious chance to put Town in the lead on 21 minutes when Adam Clayton's clever ball over the top caught out Brendan Moloney and put through Novak on goal but despite his lovely first touch the former Gateshead striker fired the ball into row Z.

Sean Scannell's poor clearance fell to Simon Cox but Smithies pulled off a point blank save to deny the striker and then the young Town goalkeeper pulled off a world-class save to deny Guedioura with an audacious volley from 30 yards by acrobatically tipping the ball over the bar.

Blackstock must have thought he scored on 33 minutes but Jack Hunt denied the Forest striker with a goal line clearance and then his rebound effort was deflected onto the bar by Peter Clarke.

The second half started much of the same and Clarke denied Blackstock's effort and Lynch made a superb tackle to deny Blackstock again when it seemed he was about to burst through on goal.

Town chances were few and far between for the first 60 minutes and Keith Southern wasted a good chance when he scuffed a shot from 6 yards out over the bar from Oliver Norwood's corner.

Rhodes fired a shot harmlessly over the bar after a ball over the top from Norwood and then the former Manchester United midfielder put a long range effort also over the bar.

Forest had been knocking on the door for most of the match and took the lead on 69 minutes when McGugan's lovely through ball sent Cox away on goal and the striker calmly dispatched past Smithies.

Simon Grayson threw on Scott Arfield and Danny Ward for Dixon and Novak as Town stepped up the pressure but the Forest defence were proving hard to break down and were trying their best to see out the game with their time wasting tactics.

Deep into the added 4 minutes of injury time Hunt went on one of his trademark runs jinxing his way into the box only to be brought down by Harding with the referee having no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot.
Rhodes stepped up and calmly slotted the ball into the net via the post despite Lee Camp diving the right way.

Swings and roundabouts as Town should have got something from Cardiff but came away with nothing but deserved little against Forest but came away with a point. Next up is a home clash with Burnley.

Sean's Star Man - Alex Smithies. Pulled a few saves out of the bag and kept Town in the game. Match could have been dead and buried at half-time.

Teams:

Town: Smithies, Dixon(Arfield 81), Lynch, Clarke, Hunt, Scannell, Southern(Gerrard 86), Norwood, Clayton, Rhodes, Novak(Ward 81).
Subs not used: Bennett, Woods, Lee, Spencer.

Forest: Camp, Harding, Collins, Halford, Moloney, Gillett, Guedioura, McGugan(Moussi 81), Reid, Cox(Hutchinson 88), Blackstock(Tudgay 75).
Subs not used: Evtimov, Majewski, McGoldrick, Miller.

Referee: Swarbrick
Attendance: 15,434.