2-2

*Joachim points the way*

Just as well Stan Collymore sat this one out. In his absence another enigmatic striker took centre stage. It was point made, and point earned, by his deputy Julian Joachim in this humdinger of a Midlands derby. Although Forest and Villa are spurred by contrasting aims this season, both sides showed enough manful spirit to give them hope - and signs of the vulnerability which might undermine it.

This was an important test for Villa’s rearguard, which had been uncharacteristically outwitted and outmanoeuvred by Liverpool a week ago. If they expected a gentler afternoon with which they could retrieve their confidence - Forest went into the game with only four successful strikes at home - they were very much mistaken.

Van Hooijdonk dominated the aerial contests and began to enjoy surging runs through the middle. Dougie Freedman was a bundle of energy and invention. On the flanks Steve Stone’s industry and Pierre Bonalair’s foraging caused Villa all sorts of discomfort.

Forest’s early chances came courtesy of Steve Chettle. Oakes palmed away his downward header, then smothered a left-footed volley from Bonalair’s teasing cross.

A small frisson of excitement murmured round the home crowd. That became a cacophony of skipped heartbeats as Van Hooijdonk waited in the six-yard box to convert a dream of a chance - Stone undertook all the hard graft to gift him such a simple task - but the Dutchman mishit spectacularly.

Just after the half-hour, Forest reaped the reward from almost constant pressure. A sweeping move involving Van Hooijdonk, Stone, Freedman, and Nigel Quashie found its way to Chris Bart-Williams on the left. With a blazing strike, hit with devastating pace and precision, he beat Oakes.

Forest doubled their lead a minute before half-time with a flash of breathtaking beauty. Freedman, fed by a touch from Van Hooijdonk, swivelled and unleashed a missile from the edge of the box into the top corner.

The two-goal half-time margin was thoroughly deserved. Villa’s performance was a pale shadow of the colourful football which had propelled them to the Premiership summit. All they could muster in an anaemic first 45 minutes was a long range drive from Steve Watson to which Beasant clung.

Collymore’s convenient tummy-ache impaired the league leaders’ attacking options. Dublin was well marshalled by Chettle, while Joachim, Collymore’s understudy, was struggling to make the most of his rare opportunity.

It must have been some tirade from John Gregory during the break, as his exhortations had the desired effect, particularly on Joachim, who emerged eager and lively. From Wright’s whipped-in cross, he wriggled ahead of his man to poke the ball toward goal. Beasant gathered but the former Leicester man, who has been sidelined of late, made his intentions clear.

When Watson advanced into the box and attempted to pass the ball in Beasant could only palm it straight into the path of Joachim, who gleefully rolled the rebound into an empty net. Villa, now were on the ascendancy. Taylor’s rising header from Wright’s whipped-in cross cleared the crossbar.

Then came 60 seconds which turned the match. Freedman had the chance to settle Forest nerves, latching on to Quashie’s lofted pass and shimmying into the box. The angled finish drifted narrowly wide. Villa broke instantly, and Joachim capitalised, to gobble up the crumbs of another slice of hesitant defending.

As he raced to meet a through ball, with Beasant rushing forward in a vain attempt to beat him to it, the diminutive striker got the better of the hulking figure of the goalkeeper. Beasant, stranded, was helpless as Joachim poked in the equaliser.

It was breathless stuff in the final stages as both teams craved a winner. Van Hooijdonk met Stone’s corner with a ferocious header, forcing Oakes to block from point blank, then one of those 25-yard free-kicks was tipped away, while Dublin squandered a gilt-edged chance.