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.
