Nottingham Forest 1-1 Birmingham: Dougie Freedman and Gary Rowett reaction

Birmingham boss Gary Rowett was satisfied with a point in a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest, despite his side taking the lead and playing the last 16 minutes against 10 men following a controversial red card for home midfielder David Vaughan.

Jon Toral headed Blues ahead in the 24th minute, but Forest skipper Matt Mills - given the armband in place of the injured Henri Lansbury - nodded home Vaughan's free-kick to rescue a point, before the midfielder's early bath after 74 minutes following a foul on Clayton Donaldson.

Rowett said: "The City Ground is never an easy place to come to, so I was very pleased to go 1-0 up early on, but I was disappointed to concede a goal so quickly especially from a set-piece. We are usually very good defending set-pieces and I also thought it was a soft foul leading up to the free-kick, but we should have dealt with the situation.

"I expected Forest to come out firing at 1-1, but it never really happened and I felt it was us who moved the ball around well and got into some very good positions, without having lots of chances.

"It was probably a fair result, but I felt we should have capitalised in some moments with some more belief and quality."

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Rowett sympathised with Forest over Vaughan's sending off, which he felt was a touch harsh.

He said: "It was a little bit reckless, he stuck his foot up into Clayton's face, but I don't think it warranted a red card. If we had won the game on the back of that red card, I think it would have been slightly unjust."

Ben Osborn crashed an early effort against a post for Forest, but Toral struck first, with the Spaniard guiding home an excellent diving header. The lead lasted just five minutes, though, as Mills rose to nod home Vaughan's free-kick.

Toral almost handed Blues the lead midway through the second half, but his effort struck an upright as Dorus De Vries could only stand and watch.

Referee Mark Brown then showed Vaughan a straight red for a foot-high challenge on Donaldson, and despite playing out the closing stages with 10 men, it was Forest who had the better of the chances, with substitute Oliver Burke nearly snatching a winner at the death.

Forest boss Dougie Freedman, who also described Vaughan's dismissal as "harsh", admitted it was not the best day at the office for his side.

He said: "We didn't start very well, which was very unlike us at home, but we got the goal back, although nothing much happened for us in the second half in terms of creativity.

"Credit to the lads for keeping on going after coming back from a setback. We had to dig in and we will take the point."

Freedman was encouraged by Bojan Jokic's debut, with the Slovenian slotting in admirably at left-back in place of Chris Cohen, who was rested by the Reds boss.

"I thought he was excellent - that was as good a debut as I have ever had as a manager," said Freedman of the 29-year-old loanee. "I was worried about his fitness, but he proved me wrong tonight. He was immense."