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Sky Bet Championship: Watford boss critical after Forest hit back to claim draw

SAITAMA, JAPAN - MARCH 12:  Slavisa Jokanovic Jankovic,coach of Muangthong United looks on during the AFC Champions League Group F match between Urawa Red
Image: Slavisa Jokanovic: Not especially happy

A frustrated Slavisa Jokanovic felt his Watford side played with their hearts rather than their heads after letting the lead slip twice in a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest.

The Hornets' fourth head coach of the season saw his side go in front through an Odion Ighalo effort and then a Matej Vydra penalty, but each time Michail Antonio brought the visitors level.

"I am not especially happy," said Jokanovic. "I thought we were very good for the first 60 minutes. But in the last half-an-hour my team lost a little bit tactically. We had many problems and tried to win the game with hearts and not with minds.

"I am very happy with many minutes we've played in the last two games. Today especially we can do better and in the last half-hour we lost control and we try to win this game in the wrong way."

Forest assistant boss Steve Wigley felt the draw was "a good point".

"We knew we were coming to a team that was in the best (form) they've been this season off the back of a great result at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, so we knew we were going to have to play well," he said. "We had to come from behind twice so we showed a lot of character.

"I thought we more than deserved a point. I thought Watford played very well as well but I thought in the last 10 minutes, I felt that we were the team that was going to win the game."

The biggest talking point of the game came three minutes before half-time with the score at 1-1 when Vydra latched on to a pass and darted by Michael Mancienne, only to be tripped by the Forest captain on the edge of the penalty area.

It looked to be a clear goalscoring opportunity, but referee Dean Whitestone decided otherwise and Mancienne escaped with a yellow card.

Asked about the, Wigley said: "I think your heart's in your mouth when an incident like that happens. We're at ground level, so you're never sure if anybody's covering round. And you're never quite sure what a referee's going to do - one ref will keep you on the pitch with a yellow and another will give you a red, but I've got to say I was delighted when it was yellow and not red."

Jokanovic had no doubt that Mancienne should have been sent off, though, and also felt Kelvin Wilson should have suffered the same fate for his foul on Vydra for the penalty, when he barged the striker over.

"For me it's 100 per cent (a red card for Mancienne)," said Jokanovic. "It's probably the same the second time. This is probably a little bit different, but for me both situations are a sending-off."

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