JORDAN RHODES scored a dramatic stoppage-time penalty to rescue a point for Huddersfield Town when it seemed Forest had the game in the bag.

Simon Grayson’s side huffed and puffed in front of a crowd of 15,434, but it looked like they had been undone by a 68th-minute strike from Forest’s £2m signing Simon Cox.

Three minutes of added time had been played at the end, however, when Jack Hunt made one last raid into the right hand side of the box and Greg Halford hauled him down.

Referee Neil Swarbrick had no hesitation and Rhodes – who made a quiet return – kept his nerve to drill the ball in off Lee Camp’s right hand post.

It brought delight to the Town faithful and despair to Forest’s travelling contingent of 2,274.

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Town made just one change to the team which competed so splendidly at Cardiff, bringing in Rhodes for Scott Arfield.

The Scottish international was given the role up front alongside Lee Novak, with manager Simon Grayson ditching the 4-5-1 formation which worked so well without yielding a point in South Wales, and going 4-4-2.

Adam Clayton played on the right of midfield, with the rest of the team unchanged against a Forest starting line-up including Cox, their big-money signing from West Brom, for the first time and looking to build on their opening 1-0 win against Bristol City.

Scouts from seven Premiership clubs were in the stands – Arsenal, Stoke, Everton, Swansea, Aston Villa and Norwich – as Town played their first Championship home match in 11 years.

Charlton, Blackburn, Bolton, Hull City, Leeds, Birmingham, Leicester and Saturday’s opponents Burnley were also represented, along with Dagenham and Bradford.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez looked on with Michael O’Neill (Northern Ireland) and Frank Stapleton (Republic) as Town made a sizzling start, Sean Scannell bursting down the right and crossing for Clayton, who failed to control.

Novak then had a shot charged down and a header over the bar before Forest showed they were dangerous on the break, Lewis McGugan rifling a 25-yard drive against Alex Smithies’ right hand upright with the keeper beaten.

It was the signal for Forest to dominate much of the first half, and they must have wondered how they were still level at the break.

Quick on the break and slick with a pass, Forest twice created openings for Dexter Blackstock which Smithies denied and then, with Forest looking very dangerous from every set piece, the same player headed only inches wide.

On 23 minutes, Smithies came to the rescue again when a miscued clearance by Scannell was headed on by Blackstock and Cox was quickest to react, being denied by the keeper.

Forest continued to dictate, with Adlene Guedioura firing a blistering 30-yard volley which Smithies did well to tip over the top, and then Town had a double escape on 33.

Brendan Maloney created the opening, breaking down the right, and when he pulled the ball back, Blackstock’s shot was cleared off the line before Cox’s follow-up was deflected onto the bar and over.

Town’s best chance came from a fantastic through ball by Clayton to put Novak free in the box, but he hastily fired over as keeper Lee Camp advanced from the line.

Overall, however, it was scary stuff for Town, who had some thinking to do at the break.

It looked like they’d taken stock when they started the second half much tighter and should have taken the lead on 53 minutes. Norwood’s corner seemed to catch Forest on the hop and the ball went across the six-yard box to Keith Southern, who scooped his shot over the top.

Forest picked up a couple of bookings for their frustrations as Town kept the ball better, and Rhodes went close with a header from a cross which was slightly too high from Norwood, who then fired over himself.

Just as Town seemed to be settling, Forest got reward for their more precise and purposeful attacking in the match.

Sixty eight minutes were on the clock when Blackstock’s angled ball found Cox, and he made no mistake from 15 yards with a fierce rising shot.

Town battled after that, but Forest got men behind the ball well and opportunities were hard to come by – until that last-gasp burst by Hunt to earn the penalty.