Nottingham Forest 0 - 0 Swansea City

I hadn't expected to make this game. Having just started a new job midweek games have suddenly become harder to come by, but an afternoon meeting in Knutsford arranged at the eleventh hour made it just possible to make it to Nottingham in time, and, well, here we are.

The last time I did a midweek scramble was for the Southend Game, which ultimately proved the trip was worth it, though I was under no illusion this game was going to be a totally different kettle of fish, especially given Swansea's recent form being as impressive as ours has been decidedly iffy.

As this report is being written some time after the event (combination of some lengthy days at work and struggling to get to grips with this newly-purchased laptop) this will be more a reflection on the match combined with events which have taken place since, to which I will return.

For a goalless draw this was not a bad game at all, and although I'm not in the habit of predicting draws I felt this was always going to be the most likely outcome, although in the opening stages of the game it looked apparent that Swansea were not here just for a point, and in for a while we were pinned back in our own half (unusually the Bridgford End), the only real scare being when Wes nearly added to our embarrassing tally of own goals whilst coping with pressure from the powerfully built (but also a glove-wearing wuss) Jason Scotland who constantly switched sides of the field, even more than Commons normally does.

But apart from this period Smudge had relatively little to do all evening, despite the end-to-end nature of the game. We were putting Swans' keeper De Vries under pressure, thanks to some good contribution by McGugan and most notably from set pieces when we were lucky enough to be awarded them in our favour, which was not that often in the first half at least, owing to the ineptitude of the ref who seemed to let Swansea get away with some sly nudges and at one point it looked as if we were entertaining a rugby team given the number of handballs the diminutive Leon Brittain not only played but more annoyingly got away with. Easy for the sour grapes merchants to comment on this being the way Swansea have powered forward to an eleven point lead, but it was frustrating to see all these things go unpunished - Andy Robinson might easily have walked for a show of manbags, yet it was ultimately only Garry Monk who received a caution ten minutes from the end.

All the same, although Swansea looked less likely to score as the game progressed, they still defended in numbers, and still managed to force an ominous-looking free kick just before the break, which Smudge had to be equal to so we could at least go into the break on terms.

So, one or two potential heroics then, but at half time there was a chance to see some real heroes in the form of a parade from the 2nd Battalion Mercian Regiment, recently returned from active duty in one of the world's romantic hotspots. Rarely have I seen such sustained (and deserved) applause for any visitor to The City Ground as they greeted fans and held Forest scarves aloft. Very uplifting.

The second half lacked the pace and excitement we enjoyed in the opening period, although the back we went/back they came theme continued, and from the Trent End it was easy to see where the effectiveness of our attacks repeatedly broke down. At the back Wes and Wilson were doing a great job, as were Jules and Chambers. Unfortunately the midfield's inability to do anything constructive with the ball meant they began to be by-passed more often and by the end of the game we were playing that brand of hoofball we associate with barren periods, and Holt and Tyson who were both fine when in possession, just appeared frustrated and starved of any service. Young Thornhill looked out of his depths at times and appeared peripheral, however the arrival of Emile Sinclair failed to shake things up, and once Lennon replaced McGugan (for what was, in retrospect, to be his final appearance in a red shirt) you knew the strategy was now to defend for a point.

That said, we probably came closest to breaking the deadlock in stoppage time with a free kick which was blocked and a telling ball from Tyse just managed to elude Grant Holt. But once again it was another case of the strikers having to feed off scraps due to an ineffective midfield, and so make Swansea the second club this season against whom we've drawn a double blank (the other being Oldham who were doing us a favour by disposing of Carlisle).

Given our form of late I guess we have to be happy at least for a point against the leaders, but right now there are issues which threaten to derail our promotion prospects yet again. Our only documented activity in the transfer market has seen Dobie and Lennon leave the club whilst the quest to strengthen our attacking options has brought us what, exactly, Colin? It's not good enough. We're all too aware of how it all went pear-shaped this time last year, and for the same reasons. What was it I said before Christmas about learning lessons from the past, and am I really surprised at us losing at Bournemouth as our away form continues to suffer?

It's much food for thought, which rather takes the shine off what was a reasonable performance against Swansea, who are starting to look a comfortable prospect for Championship football next season. But right now we'll just have to make do with what we have, and I worry about our chances of joining them, however soon Agogo returns to us.

Over to you, Colin ...

Ref Watch: D Deadman - More like dead weight or dead loss with this inept performance.
Entertainment Value: Not bad for a goalless encounter, the end-to-end football certainly kept us on the edge of our seats. 6.5/10
Atmosphere: A top-of-the-table encounter generated a predictably healthy turnout from both sets of fans, though yet again the Trent End had cause to moan at A-Block's totally moronic and utterly pointless we-hate-Derby chanting (please put a sock in it, it's NOT getting behind the team you've paid to come along and support); Good to see someone has sorted the pre-match music out at last - the theme tune to The Apprentice always gives the atmosphere an edge.
Highlights: Good end-to-end football; good defending by Wes and Wilson.
Lowlights: Our midfield lacked shape then disappeared altogether.
Stinker: Sammy - where was he?
Stormer: Lewis McGugan.