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Collin Quaner's goal against Nottingham Forest was his first for Ipswich

Championship bottom side Ipswich Town played out their sixth 1-1 draw in seven league games as they shared the spoils with play-off-chasing Nottingham Forest at Portman Road.

With the game's first shot, Collin Quaner beat Forest goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon with a tap-in finish from point-blank range after meeting Gwion Edwards' finely-placed cut-back.

The visitors scrambled home an equaliser before the break, with Jon Nolan inadvertently bundling into his own net after Molla Wague directed an in-swinging corner from Joe Lolley off the midfielder.

Both Pantilimon and Ipswich's Bartosz Bialkowski made crucial second-half saves as both sides had to settle for a hard-fought draw.

There was a great sense of familiarity in the two dugouts at Portman Road, with Ipswich boss Paul Lambert having played under Forest manager Martin O'Neill when he was in charge of Celtic, while Reds assistant Roy Keane - a former Ipswich manager - previously worked as Lambert's number two at Aston Villa.

Their aims after 38 league games are vastly different, however, with Ipswich 13 points adrift of safety at the bottom while Forest are just three points outside the top six.

Quaner gave Lambert's lowly side the ideal start, firing the ball under Pantilimon for his first Ipswich goal after joining the club on loan from Huddersfield in January.

Forest created few genuine chances before Nolan's own goal restored parity just after the half-hour mark.

The Reds had the ball in the back of the net again before the interval, but Darryl Murphy's effort was flagged for offside as he latched onto the rebound following Bialkowski's save from a Yohan Benalouan header.

The hosts had a goal of their own ruled out after the break, with referee Keith Stroud saying Alan Judge took his free-kick too quickly as he set Nolan up.

In a second half that saw Nolan and Trevoh Chalobah go close and Pantilimon deny Kayden Jackson, while Bialkowski crucially made a double save from Murphy and Matty Cash at the other end, there was also late drama.

The hosts had a injury-time penalty claim waved away after Jackson complained of being fouled in a frantic finish.

Ipswich's point against the play-off hopefuls came a day after the strugglers were given a boost as captain Luke Chambers committed to the club with a new contract that keeps him at Portman Road until 2021.

Ipswich manager Paul Lambert told BBC Suffolk:

"We're playing really well and I can't ask any more of everybody at the club - the supporters were outstanding, the players were outstanding. If we'd come away 4-2 up, I don't think anyone could have complained.

"I think we've been playing well without getting the breaks. We play a lot of risk football which is really, really good and we just need that little touch that finishes it off.

"Slowly but surely, I think we're getting there. The future's good but it needs a sprinkle of experience here.

"It was a great goal and a great move, the goal will give Collin confidence and I thought James Bree was excellent today and I really hope that Judgey stays - he's a fabulous player."

Nottingham Forest manager Martin O'Neill:

"We got off to a very poor start, fought our way back into the game and got the equaliser and obviously a big moment just before half-time when I thought we scored. The TV replay looks as if we were two to three yards onside.

"That is obviously very disappointing but it doesn't stop the fact that Ipswich played very well and it was no surprise to me in that sense. They might have only won a number of games this season but they are playing with good old enthusiasm.

"Even though we made changes to try and win the game it did leave gaps and Ipswich, breaking on us, were very good indeed.

"Our goalkeeper made saves to keep us in it but I think the result is very, very fair."