TEN-MAN Cherries were forced to settle for a point against a fired up Nottingham Forest at Vitality Stadium.

Justin Kluivert’s opportunistic goal gave Cherries the ideal start, before the Tricky Trees dug in and levelled through Callum Hudson-Odoi on the stroke of half-time.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, scrapping near the relegation zone, then restricted Cherries to few chances. The frustrated hosts ended the game a man light, substitute Philip Billing sent off for a reckless challenge on scorer Hudson-Odoi with six minutes to play.

Forest then pressed forwards slightly more, but the spoils were shared with a 1-1 draw.

Andoni Iraola made two changes from the side which drew at West Ham United in midweek. Kluivert and Luis Sinisterra came into the team, with Alex Scott and Marcus Tavernier dropping to the bench.

Deadline day signing Enes Unal was not available to feature, as he continues to wait for his visa to be processed.

As has been the case in recent weeks, Cherries got off to a blistering start, forcing Forest back.

Ryan Christie saw an early shot deflected wide, before the hosts got in front in the fifth minute.

A Lewis Cook corner was flicked on at the near post by Sinisterra, before getting a nick off defender Neco Williams. With the ball set to nestle in at the far post, Kluivert made sure with the final touch on the line to claim his fifth goal of the season.

Forest then began to show some signs of life. Taiwo Awoniyi, who was a handful all half, saw a couple of efforts comfortably stopped by Neto.

Antoine Semenyo saw a shot deflected over at the other end, before Neto was called back into action, getting down and doing well to hold a snapshot from Ryan Yates.

Forest were looking dangerous from set-pieces, seeing a penalty shout waved away when Yates went down under the challenge of Lloyd Kelly.

The away skipper was soon involved again, his shot saved by Neto.

But Nuno’s men were level by half-time. Murillo did well against Semenyo from a Morgan Gibbs-White free-kick into the box. Christie then lost out to Hudson-Odoi in a challenge just outside the box, the former Chelsea man shrugging off Adam Smith before brilliantly firing into the bottom corner.

Iraola’s frustrations were growing on the sidelines at some of the decision-making from referee Rebecca Welch.

And his mood would not have been helped by having to withdraw Semenyo at the break, the Ghanaian having seemingly suffered an injury in that collision with Murillo. Tavernier was introduced.

Kluivert too, already on a booking, was growing increasingly tetchy and was perhaps fortunate not to be shown a second yellow card, before quickly being subbed off.

Just past the hour mark, another good delivery into the box found Andrew Omobamidele, but the centre-back could not bring the ball under control.

With Forest restricting Cherries, Iraola turned to his bench again, Dango Ouattara coming on for his first appearance since December after international duty, while Milos Kerkez was also selected.

But the hosts’ hopes were dashed when fellow sub Billing was given his marching orders by Welch with five minutes to go. As he cynically stopped a Forest counter, the Dane dangerously trod on the back of Hudson-Odoi’s leg.

Neither side were able to find a winner during the seven minutes of added time.

Cherries: Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kelly (Kerkez, 83); Christie (Scott, 56), Cook; Semenyo (Tavernier, h-t), Kluivert (Billing, 56), Sinisterra (Ouattara, 71); Solanke.

Unused subs: Mepham, Faivre, Radu (g/k), Travers (g/k).

Booked: Senesi, Kluivert, Neto.

Sent off: Billing.

Forest: Sels; Williams (Montiel, 78), Omobamidele, Murillo, Tavares; Yates, Dominguez (Danilo, 72); Elanga (Reyna, 78), Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi (Ribeiro, 90); Awoniyi.

Unused subs: Toffolo, Felipe, Niakhate, Turner (g/k), Vlachodimos (g/k).

Booked: Omobamidele, Nuno, Yates.

Referee: Rebecca Welch.