LEWIS McGugan netted for the sixth consecutive game – but it was only enough to help Nottingham Forest to a third consecutive draw, against ten-man Blackpool.
Billy Davies side would have been hopeful of taking three points, after seeing Isaiah Osbourne sent off in the 58th minute for a lunging challenge on Greg Halford.
But, while McGugan netted from the spot in the 81st minute, it was only enough to cancel out the first half strike from Ludo Sylvestre that had put Blackpool ahead.
Forest had dominated possession for long periods and played some neat passing football. But they struggled to break down a Blackpool side with a stubborn defensive resolve.
And, while they carved out a few half-chances amid seven minutes of injury time at the end of the game, they rarely looked like claiming all three points.
With the two teams immediately below Forest – Leicester and Brighton – drawing 1-1, the result did not hugely influence the play-off race.
But, with tough trips to Cardiff and Middlesbrough approaching on the horizon, Forest may well view this as a missed opportunity to widen the gap between themselves and their immediate rivals.
Davies shuffled his pack again, making four changes to his starting line-up. The big news for the Reds was the return of the influential Adlene Guedioura, who missed the game at Burnley with concussion. The Algerian took the place of Guy Moussi in midfield.
Billy Sharp and Dexter Blackstock also dropped down to the bench, with Darius Henderson and Simon Cox selected as the Reds front-two against the Tangerines. Lewis McGugan, who has scored five goals in his last five appearances, found himself back in familiar territory, as he was relegated to the bench, with Radi Majewski restored to the starting line-up.
McGugan may feel slightly hard done by, after netting the late penalty that secured a point for Forest at Burnley on Monday. But the midfield Davies selected was the one that had largely played during the run of six consecutive wins, prior to last weekend's two draws.
Forest began brightly with a long spell of possession that must have seen them string together 25 or more passes, before a high, looping cross from Andy Reid, from the left, was well claimed by keeper Matt Gilks.
While they were playing with confidence – and some degree of comfort on the ball – it was Blackpool who almost carved out the first meaningful opportunity, with Nathan Delfouneso just failing to control a clever pass from Ludo Sylvestre when he would otherwise have been clear.
The striker was far more certain in his touch in the eighth minute, when he cut in from the left flank and let fly with a superb, curling shot that had Karl Darlow beaten, but bounced away off the underside of the bar.
Forest hit back with another flowing, driving move, which culminated in Majewski surging into the box, but Alex Baptiste managed to get in a vital block as the little Pole tried to force a shot towards goal from a tight angle.
The Reds were dominating possession, but could not penetrate a stubborn Blackpool side who seemed happy to sit deep in their final third. When the ball dropped to Guedioura on the edge of the box, he was wildly off target with a rising shot.
Forest were enjoying extensive spells of possession, passing the ball around patiently. They were struggling to pick a gap in the Blackpool defence, but the City Ground crowd were appreciating the style of football being produced by the home side.
Blackpool offered a reminder of their own threat on the break, as Ince struck a powerful shot from the left that, after taking a deflection, required some quick footwork from Darlow, as he made a capable save.
Simon Cox came close to ending his run of 22 appearances for club and country without a goal, as he hit a powerful, dipping shot that was high of the target by only a few feet, from just outside the penalty area. While Lansbury also threatened with a 20-yard shot that was well charged down.
But it was to be Blackpool who took the lead, with Sylvestre finding the room to send an unstoppable, bending shot beyond Darlow from the edge of the box, following some decent build-up play of their own, with Gary MacKenzie providing the final pass to set up the chance.
It came after an opening 27 minute spell that Forest had almost entirely dominated, in terms of possession, without being able to fashion a clear opportunity.
A Reid cross from the left almost carved out the chance Forest craved, but Henderson was beaten to the ball by Gilks, who punched clear brilliantly.
Forest might have levelled from the resulting corner, when Henderson attacked the ball at the far post, but headed over – while appearing to be man handled to the ground amid a melee of players. There was little protest from the other Reds players, however.
An early, deep cross from Greg Halford gave Henderson something to attack, with the striker producing a looping header that dropped onto the roof of the net. Cox then produced a smart turn in the box, but saw MacKenzie cleverly steer the ball out of play before he could shoot.
Henderson and Kirk Broadfoot were both booked in injury time following some pushing and shoving in the box, as Blackpool took a corner. That proved to be the final meaningful action of the half, as Blackpool went in with a single goal advantage.
Forest began with a little more urgency after the break but, following good work from Reid and Majewski, Jara sent his cross too close to keeper Gilks. Another Reid cross forced Blackpool to concede a corner – but Majewski's cross was headed over by Ward.
While, after Majewski had cleverly fed Cohen, the left back showed that he can strike a ball with his right foot, bending an effort towards the far post where Gilks held well.
Referee Craig Powson then potentially changed the tide of the game, as former Forest loan signing Isaiah Osbourne was shown a red card.
The Blackpool man did fly in with a robust challenge on Halford, but the challenge did not appear to be two-footed or particularly high. But the referee flashed the red card fairly quickly, as Forest's players reacted angrily.
It left Blackpool facing 32 minutes of the game with ten men – and Forest hoping to take advantage. McGugan was brought on, off the bench, in the 67th minute, replacing Reid, as the home side went in search of a goal.
McGugan's first touch almost brought a goal, as he connected with a volley from Guedioura's cross, with Gilks making a good save. His second touch was not bad either, as McGugan then fired a low shot wide of the target, from the edge of the box
And, within a few minutes of coming on, McGugan had forged his third effort on goal, this time lifting a shot over the bar, after cutting into the box from the left.
McGugan then forced Blackpool sub Cathcart into an important clearance, after crossing dangerously from the right as Forest began to build a little pressure.
Cohen saw a driven shot deflected wide, before Forest really made their last throw of the dice, bringing on Billy Sharp for Guedioura, leaving all four of their strikers on the pitch.
It was a gamble that paid off as Blackstock flicked the ball to Cox in the area, with the striker seeing a shot well saved by Gilks. But, as the ball rebounded to him, Basham's challenge was clumsy – and referee Pawson pointed to the spot.
There was huge pressure on McGugan, as he stepped up to take the penalty, but he was as composed as ever, firing a low shot to Gilks' left, to pull the home side level in the 81st minute.
With seven minutes of injury time added on, Blackpool were doing their best to eat it up. A McGugan cross was well met by Henderson at the far post, but his dangerous header back across goal was well dealt with by Gilks.
And Blackpool held on for a point, much to the frustration of the home side.
Forest: Darlow, Jara, Ward, Halford, Cohen, Guedioura (Sharp 79), Lansbury, Reid (McGugan 67), Majewski (Blackstock 72), Cox, Henderson. Subs: Evtimov, Hutchinson, Collins, Moussi.
Blackpool: Gilks, Baptiste, Crainey, Broadfoot, MacKenzie (Cathcart 54), Sylvestre, Basham, Osbourne, Phillips (Harris 85), Ince (Eccleston 93), Delfouneso. Subs: Halstead, Eardley, Martinez, Grandin.
Referee: Craig Pawson, South Yorkshire.
Attendance: 22,814
