Forest 2 QPR 2
Lewis McGugan had fired the Reds ahead on the stroke of half time from the penalty spot but Matteo Alberti equalised deep into first-half stoppage time.
Alberti then put QPR ahead straight after the break before Cohen pounced at the back post to head home Luke Chambers’ cross on 66 minutes and earn a 2-2 draw.
Forest kicked off utilising a 5-3-2 formation, giving young wing backs Moloney and Heath license to get forward.
But they should have been behind on seven minutes when Samuel Di Carmine thundered a shot but Moloney cleared off the line and Matteo Alberti struck the rebound but Heath produced a stunning block again on the line to save the Reds.
A clash of heads in the box saw Tyson go down and in need of stitches to a head wound as the game started to get heated.
Skipper for the day Morgan headed wide from Chris Cohen’s corner before Forest were forced into a substitution on 15 minutes, Adam Newbold replacing Tyson, who could not continue.
The Reds switched back to a more familiar 4-4-2 with Moloney operating on the right side of midfield.
On 21 minutes Alberti struck a shot on the turn from inside the box and, as Paul Smith scrambled across, it struck the upright and bounced out before Gavin Mahon headed wide from a corner.
Heath drilled a stunning ball in from the left and Thornhill brought it down with a superb first touch but his volleyed effort was blocked from six yards out.
But on the stroke of half time McGugan chipped in a superb ball for Chambers, darting in at the back post, and he was pulled back by Alberti.
And, from the spot, McGugan made no mistake, sending his former teammate Camp the wrong way to put Forest ahead.
But three minutes into first-half injury time Matt Connolly pulled the ball back from the right byline for Alberti, who fired beyond Smith.
Early in the second half Heath flung in a deep cross and Thornhill bravely went up with Camp, connected with his head, but his brave effort went wide.
And just two minutes into the half, and within seconds of that chance, Alberti put QPR ahead.
A flick on from Routledge opened up the chance for Alberti and, holding off Moloney, he fired a shot across goal and into the top corner.
Routledge should have made it three when he flicked the ball over the head of Heath down the right of the box but pulled his shot wide of the far post.
But Forest equalised on 66 minutes when Chambers fired in a deep cross from the right to the back post and Cohen rose superbly to head back into the far corner.
Leigertwood thought he had put QPR ahead again, meeting a corner from the right, only to be denied by a stunning Smith save, tipping one-handed onto his post.
Garath McCleary then teed up Cohen but his low shot was saved by Camp.
And Forest dug deep to hold out for the draw.
FOREST: Smith, Moloney, Heath, Wilson, Morgan, Chambers, Thornhill (Breckin, 90), McGugan, Cohen, Tyson (Newbold, 15), Garner (McCleary, 66). Subs: Gamble, Byrne
QPR: Camp, Connolly, Stewart, Delaney, Gorkss, Di Carmine (Blackstock, 59), Mahon, Miller (Ephraim, 70), Routledge, Leigertwood, Alberti (Balanta, 82). Subs: Hall, Rose
Referee: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire)
