Sheffield Wednesday 1 - 1 Nottingham Forest

Tudgay secures point for Owls

Updated: September 12, 2009, 5:39 PM UK

Marcus Tudgay fired his fourth goal of the season for Sheffield Wednesday as two evenly-matched sides denied each other further progress up the Coca-Cola Championship in a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough.

Forest stunned the home crowd by taking a second-minute lead through Dexter Blackstock, but Tudgay volleyed the Owls level shortly before half-time.

Wednesday had climbed up to eighth place on the back of successive league wins, while Forest, unbeaten in their last three matches, secured their first win a fortnight ago against Derby.

And it was the visitors who were first to make an impression through outstanding winger Paul Anderson, whose rapier bursts could have given Forest an unassailable lead before Tudgay's equaliser.

Anderson's pace was too hot for Wednesday to handle.

He laid on chances for Joe Garner and Blackstock in the first half and set up the latter for his fourth goal of the season, while another searing run and cross after the restart rolled beyond the far post, but deserved better.

Wednesday made just one change to the side that won 3-1 at Plymouth in their last league match, with Tommy Miller returning in place of James O'Connor.

Paul Anderson and Joel Lynch returned to Forest's starting line-up, while Kelvin Wilson was named on the bench for the first time this season following an ankle injury.

Forest made a lightning start, with Anderson careering past two tackles down the left in the opening minute and laying the ball on for Garner, whose right-footed shot was brilliantly saved by Owls goalkeeper Lee Grant, one-handed down to his right.

But Wednesday went behind seconds later. Anderson's deep cross caught the Owls defence flat-footed and Blackstock ghosted in to send a glancing header beyond Grant.

Forest should have been two goals up when Blackstock sent Anderson racing clear again.

But when the ball was played back into Blackstock's path in the area, the Forest striker spurned his chance five yards out in front of a gaping goal.

The visitors, who could have been out of sight, were made to pay in the 39th minute.

Davies' side could only half clear Michael Gray's cross and when the ball bounced clear just inside the area, Tudgay thumped home a volley into the bottom corner via a slight deflection off Wes Morgan.

Luke Varney was denied by some desperate Forest defending just after the break, but it was Anderson who carved out a better chance for the visitors.

The Forest winger cruised past Buxton into the area, but his cross to the far post evaded everybody.

Morgan was at his best to block Johnson's shot at the other end and with the game evenly poised in the second half Anderson crashed a goalbound volley which Grant tipped over the crossbar, while Blackstock headed the subsequent corner into the Owls goalkeeper's hands.