Forest deny Leeds as Grabban cancels out Hernandez’s opener

Posted Saturday, August 10, 2019 by PA

Leeds had to settle for a point despite dominating large periods of their 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.

Pablo Hernandez notched his second goal of the season for the Whites but Lewis Grabban’s strike cancelled it out – Forest’s only shot on target.

United bossed proceedings from start to finish but were too wasteful in front of goal, with Patrick Bamford in particular passing up a glut of chances.

Leeds started brightly and Adam Forshaw saw an early claim for a penalty correctly waved away when he went down far too easily under pressure from Alfa Semedo in the Forest box.

Kalvin Phillips registered the game’s first shot on target when his effort was tipped behind by Forest stopper Ante Muric.

Leeds were dominating possession in the early throes but Forest always looked a danger on the counter with Albert Adomah providing pace on the left wing.

Bamford came close to breaking the deadlock on 25 minutes but his effort from an acute angle failed to catch out Muric.

Moments later Bamford was in again although the Leeds man fluffed his lines and mis-kicked the ball against a Forest defender from just a few yards out.

Despite not being able to make the breakthrough, the hosts caught the eye with some fine passages of build-up play with Hernandez standing out.

United came within a lick of paint of taking the lead just after the restart.

Jack Harrison teed it up for Bamford whose volley into the ground came back off the woodwork, with Muric well beaten.

Seconds later Bamford was in again but once more showed his profligacy in front of goal.

This time he plucked the ball out the air superbly and lobbed Muric only for the ball to trickle just wide of a post.

Leeds were well on top now and after good play Hernandez was teed up but directed a daisycutter straight at Muric.

But it was not long before the hosts were celebrating a deserved opener.

Mateusz Klich flicked the ball into the path of Hernandez who dashed onto it and provided an expert finish.

That should have set the tone for more goals to follow but instead it garnered a response from the visitors.

First, Ben Watson smashed a rasping effort just over before skipper Michael Dawson nodded over when unmarked from a corner.

Despite Leeds’ dominance, their one-goal advantage was wiped out with less than 15 minutes remaining.

A corner was whipped in and nobody in the home defence reacted, as Grabban scruffily swept the ball home to make it 1-1.

Liam Cooper nodded wide as the hosts looked to regain the advantage but Forest kept the door shut and hung on for their first point under Sabri Lamouchi.