DANNY Haynes fully appreciated the delicious irony of the situation when sweeping the ball past Forest keeper Lee Camp in the 90th minute to salvage a valuable point for his team.

So often this season, City have conceded late goals in games against Preston, Scunthorpe, Derby, Peterborough and Sheffield Wednesday, in the process transforming potential victories into draws.

Given that the points dropped in those fixtures could conceivably have propelled the Robins to the Coca-Cola Championship summit, Haynes' joy at cancelling out Wes Morgan's 85th minute opener was entirely understandable.

"It makes a change for the boot to be on the other foot," said the former Ipswich forward, whose third goal of the campaign extends City's unbeaten run to seven matches.

"We've been in front in a few matches and then pegged back. It's frustrating, because we could have been in a much better position.

"When you let in a goal that late in a game and it costs you the win, it feels more like a defeat. Now that we've done it to someone else, it feels as though we've won the game rather than drawn it."

Although City gave as good as they got, they appeared to be heading to defeat when Morgan was left unmarked to turn in Chris Gunter's free kick five minutes from time.

But the visitors were by no means finished and Scottish international midfielder Paul Hartley picked out substitute Jamie McCombe, whose flicked header split the Forest defence and presented Haynes with a clear sight of goal.

He beat Camp with an assured finish to earn City a thoroughly deserved point.

Haynes added: "I saw Hartley lift the ball in and anticipated where McCombe would put his header. "I've said all along I should be scoring more goals and it's very pleasing to get my name on the score-sheet. I'm delighted, because Forest are strong at home and this is a very good away point for us."

Although Haynes was all smiles at the final whistle, he admitted to being bitterly disappointed with his first-half performance.

"I felt I was not doing what I should be doing and I said so to the gaffer at half time. I was seeing quite a lot of the ball but wasn't using it as well as I know I can. "

Haynes was not the only striker to experience frustration on a day when defences were in the ascendancy. City manager Gary Johnson made two changes to his starting line-up, altered his team's shape and succeeded in stifling a Forest side high on confidence following a seven-match unbeaten run.

As a result, the game descended into a war of attrition with an over-populated midfield rendered no place for the faint-hearted.

Fluency and rhythm proved beyond both sides and, for much of the game, yellow cards outnumbered goal-scoring opportunities.

Resembling chess players, managers Johnson and Billy Davies made substitutions and switched formations in a bid to outdo one another as the clock ticked, but still the contest remained deadlocked, Gavin Williams shooting straight at Camp and McCleary sending a low drive skidding inches wide of Dean Gerken's goal.

Forest seemed certain to score when McCleary crossed for Paul Anderson, but he was denied by a superb last-ditch tackle from the effervescent Cole Skuse.

So adept have City proved at defending set-pieces this season, it came as a surprise when they switched off and allowed Morgan to smash the ball into the roof of the net from 10 yards.

Undeterred, City displayed grit and determination to recover. Hartley's vision unlocked Forest's hitherto miserly defence and the Scot spoke later of the spirit which enabled City to restore parity and take a well-earned point.

"It just shows how determined we are," said the Scot, whose performance in midfield made his omission from the Scotland squad to face Wales in Cardiff next Saturday difficult to explain. You have to battle until the last minute of every game if you want to win promotion and that's what we did. It proves how strong the spirit is."