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Ben Marshall's shot came back off the crossbar for Blackburn

Blackburn Rovers extended their unbeaten Championship run to eight games as they were held to a goalless draw by Nottingham Forest.

Rovers went closest in the first half when Ben Marshall's deflected shot came back off the bar.

Fode Koita headed another excellent chance straight at Forest keeper Dorus de Vries after the break.

Matt Mills was denied a Forest winner in stoppage time when his header was pushed on to the post by Jason Steele.

The Rovers keeper's save to preserve a point means his side remain 11th in the table and unbeaten under new boss Paul Lambert, while Forest stay 15th after extending their own unbeaten run to four matches.

Blackburn enjoyed the better of the first half and saw Hope Akpan and Jordan Rhodes both miss chances before Marshall's half-volley took a slight deflection and came back off the underside of the bar.

However, the second half was a more even affair and neither side were able to create an opening of note until French forward Koita fired over from 30 yards before directing a free header straight at De Vries.

Steele pulled off a routine save at his near post to deny Ben Osborn but in the second of eight minutes of injury time instinctively threw out his right hand to brilliantly keep out Mills' header from Henri Lansbury's corner.

Blackburn manager Paul Lambert: "I thought we should have had more. The first half was the best 45 minutes since I've been here.

"We should have been a couple of goals up, we had Ben Marshall's shot that hit the bar and I thought Jordan Rhodes was really unlucky with his header.

"We dominated the game against a good side so from that point of view I'm delighted with the effort. Taking 11 points from 15 is a massive return and I can't fault the lads for the way they are playing and the effort they have given.

"We tired before the end but that is normal playing two games in three days, but that was a big effort. A point in this league can be big at times."

Nottingham Forest boss Dougie Freedman: "I'm so pleased. The resilience of the defending and the picking up of second balls in the first half was exactly what we needed.

"I thought we coped very well against a physical, direct Blackburn side.

"In the second half we came out, we started passing the ball a little bit better and created one or two opportunities. But for a wonderful save, we would have won the game. I'm very, very pleased with what I've seen tonight."

Fode Koita headed over Blackburn's best chance of the second half

Jason Steele saved from Matt Mills in stoppage time to earn Blackburn a point

Former Blackburn striker Alan Shearer was at Ewood Park after having a road in the town named after him earlier on Monday