Gary Johnson dedicated Bristol City's late equaliser at Nottingham Forest to Ivan Sproule.

The popular winger was nowhere to be seen at the City Ground, having returned home to Northern Ireland with his wife, Janet, after the couple's second child was stillborn in a Bristol hospital last week.

In his absence, Danny Haynes netted a 90th-minute goal to earn City a point against their Coca-Cola Championship promotion rivals and manager Johnson afterwards declared: "That one was for Ivan and his family."

He added: "When Ivan's little baby didn't make it, it was a major shock to all of us. We were close to him when it happened.

"Ivan is everybody's best mate, we're all very close to him and his wife is very close to the other wives and girlfriends. Our hearts go out to them at what must be a tremendously difficult time."

The tragedy affected Bristol City's players profoundly and Johnson gave them an impromptu day off from training last Tuesday, while Sproule, his wife and young son, Sam, flew back to Northern Ireland to grieve among family and close friends.

But the plucky winger still found time to think of his team-mates and sent them a heart-warming message of support on the eve of Saturday's big game at Forest.

Johnson said: "It was a heart-rending situation. We were all gathered together and Ivan sent us a text message, which he asked to be read out to the boys.

"It was impossible not to have a lump in your throat and tears running down your face, because it was a rallying call to the lads as well.

"We respect the fact he is thinking about us at the same time as we are all thinking about him.

"Hopefully, he will be able to get over it in time and get his football head back on. But at the moment, I cannot imagine what they must be going through."

Sproule's tragic loss made City's players even more determined to return with something from the City Ground and Haynes' goal, his third of the season, extended the Robins' unbeaten run to seven games and kept them in the play-off pack going into the two-week break for international matches.

Johnson said: "Because letting in late goals is something which usually happens to us, scoring this one feels like a win rather than a draw. It's good to go into the break with a warm feeling as I don't think we deserved to lose.

"Neither goalkeeper had much to do – you could see why Forest and we have two of the best defensive records in the Championship.

"There were some very good forwards out there, but most of the good play was in defence and midfield."

Wes Morgan put Forest in front five minutes from time, converting Chris Gunter's free-kick from close range and Johnson admitted: "It's a little bit disappointing to concede from a set-play, especially as we have been so good at defending those this season.

"But the boys showed spirit to come back and I thought our goal was a very good one. We've pushed Jamie McCombe up front for the last few minutes and Paul Hartley has found him with an excellent ball. Then you need a good header on and runners to get on the end of it."

City are next in action at West Bromwich Albion on November 21 and the two-week break will allow injured players an opportunity to regain full fitness.

Right-back Bradley Orr will have shaken off the effects of a calf injury by then, while left-back Jamie McAllister is expected to recover from the groin problem which forced him to be substituted 15 minutes from time on Saturday.

Fellow defender Liam Fontaine is scheduled to make his first appearance since damaging ankle ligaments at Derby in September when Bristol City travel to play Reading in a reserve-team fixture tomorrow.