Nottingham Forest remain in trouble after a 0-0 draw with Charlton at the City Ground.
Stalemate at City Ground
Nottingham Forest remain in trouble after a 0-0 draw with Charlton at the City Ground.
The point represents the Reds' first in four Championship outings, but they continue to occupy a spot in the bottom three.
Colin Calderwood will also be disappointed to have seen youngster Matt Thornhill dismissed late on for two bookable offences.
Charlton could have snatched a winner in the dying moments when former Forest striker Andy Gray wasted the best opportunity of the game, but the Addicks were ultimately forced to settle for a share of the spoils.
Robert Earnshaw was presented with a great opportunity to get Forest off to a flyer after just five minutes.
The pacy striker met Lee Martin's corner, but Nicky Weaver produced a splendid reaction save to deny the Welshman his sixth goal of the season.
Martin himself unleashed an effort four minutes later, but Weaver was again on hand to palm his effort to safety.
The Addicks did not find their range until 17 minutes into the half, when Mark Hudson saw his goal-bound shot well blocked by Wes Morgan.
Midway through the half, Weaver pulled off another save to deny Chris Cohen, but Earnshaw was ruled offside.
Pressure
For all Forest's pressure, the visitors began to find their feet as half-time approached.
Lloyd Sam shot over on the half-hour mark when he should have scored, and Hameur Bouazza twice tested Reds goalkeeper Paul Smith with long-range efforts.
Thornhill was brought on at half-time for Luke Chambers, and his impact was almost immediate.
He was brought down by Martin Cranie, but Cohen's resultant free-kick was headed narrowly wide by James Perch.
The Addicks' defensive plans were hit when Jonathan Fortune was withdrawn with an injury after 58 minutes, and Alan Pardew made the daring decision to replace him with an offensive player, Darren Ambrose.
Undaunted, Luke Varney almost gave Charlton the lead but headed over with Smith wrong-footed.
Pardew eventually threw on Gray for Sam in a last-ditch attempt to take a second win of the season away from the Valley.
Andy Cole's introduction for Forest was ultimately an enforced one, as Earnshaw was taken off with a knock 13 minutes from the end.
Meanwhile, Thornhill was booked for a foul on Nicky Bailey after 74 minutes, and he was given his marching orders for another mistimed challenge on the same player 10 minutes later.
