Run ends but Boro make their point

Middlesbrough's six-match winning run came to an end with a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Boro stay in second place in the table but rise above Cardiff City, who lost 5-4 at Charlton Athletic. Their local rivals Crystal Palace are the new leaders after hammering bottom club Ipswich Town 5-0.

Manager Tony Mowbray led his side despite still suffering from the effects of a virus and replaced Jonathan Woodgate and Emmanuel Ledesma with Seb Hines and Lukas Jutkiewicz.

But Andy Reid swept the first opportunity wide for the home side after decent work from Simon Cox. Billy Sharp could then only find the side-netting while Scott McDonald was twice wide reply.

Forest's Adlene Guedioura was next denied by a timely block before team-mate Sharp miskicked from Cox's delivery and Jason Steele saved well from a 20-yard effort by Guedioura.

The visitors swapped Justin Hoyte with Stuart Parnaby for the restart and he soon witnessed Sharp heading behind from a corner.

Grant Leadbitter was narrowly wide from all of 35-yards in reply before Sharp went even closer as he struck an upright from inside the area.

Boro's in-from striker McDonald later chipped onto the roof of the net after being found by substitute Ledesma as neither side could find a winner.

Nottingham Forest: Camp, Harding (Moloney 88), Collins, Halford, Ward, Gillett, Guedioura, Cohen, Reid (Lansbury 88), Cox (Blackstock 88), Sharp

subs (unused): Darlow, McGugan, Coppinger, Tudgay

Middlesbrough: Steele, Parnaby (Hoyte 46), Hines, Bikey, Friend, Leadbitter, Bailey, McEachran, Haroun, Jutkiewicz (Ledesma 80), McDonald (Zemmama 85)

subs (unused): Leutwiler, Reach, Smallwood, L. Williams

Ref: Hooper

Att: 20,150

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