Nottingham Forest’s Under 21s coach Charlie McParland praised his side’s performance in yesterday’s 1-1 draw at Sheffield United.

Stephen McLaughlin had handed The Reds the lead after sending a free-kick over the wall and into the bottom corner, but experienced defender Danny Higginbotham scored in the dying moments to earn the home side a draw.

And, despite that late disappointment, McParland remained upbeat.

He said: “It was a very good team performance overall and a good experience for them to play at Bramall Lane.

“The game should have been done and dusted. A little lapse in concentration cost us – we should have kept the ball and it was a freak goal, but these things happen.

“To be fair they boys are taking on board what Jonathan Greening and I are teaching them on the training pitch.”