REPORT | Charlton 1 Nottingham Forest 1

Lyle Taylor scored his fourth goal in as many games as the Addicks drew 1-1 with Nottingham Forest at The Valley to maintain an unbeaten start to the Championship.

The home side played some scintillating football in an outstanding first half which saw Taylor put Charlton in front getting his head on the end of a move which had started 22 passes earlier.

The Addicks could have had more before the break but in a more even second half substitute Albert Odomah netted an equaliser as the sides took a point apiece.

Charlton boss Lee Bowyer opted for four changes, handing league debuts to summer signings Erhun Oztumer and Sam Field. The Addicks operated in the variation of the diamond formation that Bowyer has used on and off since his first game in charge. 

Charlton started with a zip in the pass and an intensity in the tackle and could have taken a second minute lead when Jonathan Leko saw an effort bounce off the Forest upright from an Oztumer set piece. The ball made its way back to the former Bolton man and his second cross was just as pinpoint with Tom Lockyer heading just over.

Conor Gallagher then saw a sixth minute shot well smothered by Arijanet Muric with Leko’s follow-up blocked by two desperate Forest defenders.

It was all Charlton who took a deserved lead when Taylor finished off an intricate passing move. Leko’s cross from the right wing was on the head of the captain for the day and he made no mistake guiding the ball across the goal and into the bottom corner.

The Charlton passing continued with the visitors really struggling to cope. They had their first sight at goal just before the half hour mark when Sammy Ameobi volleyed way over.

Leko continued to cause problems as the Charlton pressure continued but Forest could have equalised against the run of play on the stroke of half-time. An effort from outside the area was deflected into the path of Lewis Grabban. The striker looked certain to scored but an out-stretched leg from Lockyer, who was brilliant throughout, was enough to clear the ball to safety.

The second half was more even but the Addicks were still cutting through Forest with their clever passing. 

Taylor got in behind the visitor’s defence just before the hour mark and pulled it back to Leko who clipped the ball just over the Forest crossbar. 

Ben Purrington then recovered very well to deny Matty Cash after giving the ball away in a very dangerous position.

Forest did get their equaliser though when a corner from the Charlton right fell to Odomah in the box, the winger prodded home from eight yards. 

Both sides pushed for a winner with Jonny Williams coming closest when he saw his dinked cross from the left give Muric a real scare as it clipped the crossbar with the goalkeeper stranded.

Five minutes stoppage time came and went with Charlton forced to settle for a point. 

Charlton: Phillips; Oshilaja, Lockyer, Sarr, Purrington; Field (Pratley, 77), Gallagher, Cullen, Oztumer (Williams 62); Taylor (C), Leko (Aneke, 77)

Subs (not used): Amos, Pearce, Lapslie, Bonne

Goal: Taylor 18

Booked: Lockyer (54, foul on Semedo Esteves), Taylor (63, reaction to a tackle), Pratley (89, obstruction)

Nottingham Forest: Muric, Worrall, Grabban, Watson, Cash (Adomah 64), Jenkinson, Semedo Esteves (Bostock 64). Robinson, Ameobi (Mir, 76), Dawson, Silva

Subs (not used): Samba, Ribeiro, Figueiredo, Sow

Goal: Adomah 78

Booked: Watson (43, foul on Cullen), Ameobi (63, foul on Oshilaja), Jenkinson (89, foul on Williams

Referee: O Langford

Attendance: 17,204 (1,751 from Nottingham)

Read Time: 3 mins