ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL, FIRST LEG Nottm Forest 0 Swansea City 0:SWANSEA SURVIVED the first-minute sending off of Neil Taylor to earn a goalless draw at the City Ground, meaning it is all still to play for in the second leg in south Wales on Monday night.
A sensational start saw Taylor dismissed after only 52 seconds. The defender caught Lewis McGugan on the thigh with his studs as both players went into the challenge with raised feet just inside the Swansea half.
McGugan got to the ball first and referee Mike Dean pulled out his red card.
Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers was forced into an early reshuffle. Stephen Dobbie was the player sacrificed as Garry Monk was introduced in the fourth minute.
However, while Forest struggled to break down 10 men, the Welsh side were unfazed by their numerical disadvantage and created the better chances in the first half.
Fabio Borini was the main threat. The on-loan Chelsea forward forced Forest goalkeeper Lee Camp into three saves.
It took Forest 36 minutes to muster an effort of their own. Kris Boyd got free down the right-hand side. His low cross was met by the penalty spot by Robert Earnshaw, who controlled his half-volley with the side of his foot but Dorus De Vries dived to his right and palmed the ball away.
Forest thought they had made the breakthrough after 68 minutes when Earnshaw headed home McGugan’s corner, but the Wales international was flagged offside.
NOTTM FOREST: Camp, Moloney, Morgan, Chambers, Gunter, Anderson, McKenna (McCleary 72), McGugan, Cohen, Earnshaw (Tyson 71), Boyd (Tudgay 77). Subs not used: Smith, McGoldrick, Majewski, Lynch. Booked: Gunter, Morgan, McGugan.
SWANSEA: De Vries, Rangel, Williams, Tate, Taylor, Britton, Dobbie (Monk 4), Allen (Gower 72), Dyer, Borini (Moore 56), Sinclair. Subs not used: Ma-Kalambay, Pratley, Orlandi, Serran. Booked: Rangel. Sent off: Taylor (1)
Referee: Mike Dean(Wirral).
READING bossBrian McDermott is confident his side can rise to the challenge when they meet Cardiff in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final tonight ( 7.45pm, live on Sky Sports 1).
The Royals finished fifth and are at home first before the return leg in the Welsh capital on Tuesday.
McDermott has fashioned an impressive team at the Madejski Stadium and the clash with Dave Jones’ men comes after two draws during the regular season.
Stephen McPhail will line-out for Cardiff tonight, while Reading are likely to include three Irishmen on the starting team: Ian Harte, Noel Hunt and Shane Long.
