Nottingham Forest – Sheffield United

Sixth v third as the Blades visit the City Ground in the first leg. All the action from 12.15 UK time

Referee Clattenburg get things underway at the City Ground for this critical first leg play off

Michael Tonge is down injured for Sheffield United after a clash with Gareth Williams

Play back on now with Forest's Andrew Reid looking to thread a ball through the Blades defence

The pitch has been heavily watered before kick off and should give us a slick passing game

Early chance for the Blades, but a deep cross is just too long

The Forest line-up: Nottm Forest: Ward, Louis-Jean, Dawson, Walker, Brennan, Williams, Scimeca, Reid, Huckerby, Harewood and Johnson

For Sheffield United: Kenny, Curtis, Page, Jagielka, Kozluk, Ndlovu, Brown, Rankine, Tonge, Windass and Asaba

Both teams keen to get the ball on the deck in the early exchanges, though its been quite scrappy stuff so far

Phil Jagielka unleashes a shot from distance, but it flies high over

Forest build with clever play between Marlon Harewood and Mathieu Louis-Jean which leads to a free kick close to the corner flag

Reid knocks in the ball and its out for a corner

Harewood puts the ball against the bar with a header from the corner. How unlucky, he connected just too heavily with the ball - great opening

A good run from Darren Huckerby who takes the ball into the Blades area, but his muscled off the ball

Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock is on his feet in the dugout bellowing instruction to his under-pressure team

Forest win a freekick after Mark Rankine slid in dangerously on Reid

An audacious effort by Ricardo Scimeca from the free kick - his cross/ shot from the byline brings a save from Patrick Kenny between the sticks

Now Sheffield have a freekick deep inside Forest territory

A good defensive header from 37-year-old Des Walker clears the danger for Forest

Rankine feeds the ball to John Curtis for the Blades who races forward

A great turn on the halfway line by Huckerby but he ran straight in trouble and loses the ball

A frenetic opening to this game - Huckerby and Williams causing plenty of problems for the visitors

Jagielka clears an attack inspired by Huckerby and the Blades break

Curtis crosses into the box looking for Dean Windass, but the kick is too long

Louis-Jean puts in a poor first time cross for Forest and Jagielka clears

Both defences playing very deep lending itself to long clearance by the two 'keepers and masses of open space in the middle of the park - Huckerby is made for this game

Free kick to Sheffield Utd inside the Forest half

Curtis lofts the ball in and Louis-Jean makes a hash of the clearance and Carl Asaba finds the ball at his feet but fails to find the net from five yards out - wasted

Nervy stuff from both Louis-Jean and Asaba, both men ordinarly would not make such elementary mistakes

Another free kick, this time for Forest near the right hand corner flag, but there's no time given to the Forest strikers and the Blades hussle the ball and the danger clear

Michael Brown attempts to dribble his way through the Forest defence but he is out numbered and loses out to the frustration of Windass

Asaba lays the ball to Tonge who in turn plays a one-two with Rankine but his shot is blocked

The first yellow card of the game goes to Jagielka for a harsh tackle on Huckerby

Des Walker and Dean Windass clash fairly but fiercely in the penalty area

Harewood is adjudged to have fouled Kozluk as he tries in vain to win a corner

Kenny comes a long way off his line to clear the ball, he's almost down by the byline - more than a little unorthodox

Tonge, Brown and Curtis are playing some neat passes in the middle for United but, the final ball is lacking and the Walker lead backline are well organised and clear easily

Scimeca is down on the floor after Tonge accidentally kneed him in the head - but the Forest man looks fine to continue

A third of the way through this First Division play-off semi final, first leg and so far the honours are even

Forest burst into the box thanks to a bright run by Reid who wins a corner

Scimeca lofts the ball in and Michael Dawson connects, but his header cannons off his shoulder and over the bar - unlucky - Forest again within a whisker of opening the scoring from a corner

Brown and Asaba try to conjure a way through the Forest defence, but the Blades backline has been excellent so far and again they snuff out the danger

Another yellow card this time for the Blades' right back John Curtis for throwing the ball away to stop Forest taking a quick free kick

Forest pressing forward with Huckerby and Harewood. Huckerby twists and turns past two defenders and unleashes a shot but his efforts spoons well over the bar

Reid wins a freekcik after being clattered by Rankine, the kick is whipped in but its too close to Kenny who gathers comfortably

Kozluk wins a sly freekick from Harewood after allowing the big Forest man to knock him to the ground, the Blades' tactic being to get a foothold on the halfway line

A huge kick from Kenny reaches his opposite number in the Forest net Darren Ward - unsublte stuff possibly explaining why Forest have had the better of the play so far

Jim Brennan tries to skin Curtis, he fails but wins a corner - can Forest nick one this time?

Scimeca's corner is cleared and immediately Brown runs clear and the quick break is on

Brown wastes the opportunity after Walker forced the attacker wide and a tame shot is the result

Another corner for Forest, but again the visitors clear the danger - they seem to have learned from early incidents that they must concentrate for the Forest set pieces

Good passing between Curtis and Peter Ndlovu as Sheffield play their way out of danger

Halftime approaching and Forest are ending it the better side

Ndlovu breaks free inside the Forest half and looks to try his luck, but he just loses control of the ball and Forest clear

The referee blows his whistle signalling the end of the half.

Half time at the City Ground. It's been tight and tense so far. Forest are arguably just ahead on points having created more openings, but the Blades look dangerous on the break so either side could win it in the next 45 minutes.

Goalless in the first half, but several chances suggest their could be goals in the second period as these two sides strive to reach the Premier League. Forest get us back underway

A fantastic pass along the ground threaded by Huckerby splits the Blades defence and Harewood latches on to it, but his shot isn't venomous enough to beat Kenny who is down to save - a great chance for Forest

Asaba down injured after a foul by Dawson which isn't given by the ref

Louis-Jean puts in a great cross from the right, but again Kenny is able to gather

Another good move by Forest, again Huckergy instrumental but the final shot by David Johnson is off target

Another opportunity for Forest. Johnson collects a deep clearance close to the Blades byline ansd turn a neat ball into Harewood who turn well and fires a quick shot, but its the wrong side of the post

Curtis concedes a corner as Forest press

The kick is cleared by Kozluk, but Forest are quickly back in possession

Forest have started very well in the second half, as the heavens open in Nottingham to drench the players and the already soddened pitch

Reid puts in another corner for Forest and Kenny makes a great save after Johnson leapt high to connect with a very good header

Goal for Forest - Johnson bags the opener!!!

Andy Reid plays an exceptional ball with the outside of his foot to Johnson who ran with the ball before hitting a low and hard drive under Kenny

Penalty given to the Blades!!

Louis-Jean with a bad tackle on Brown - a clear cut decision and a card for the defender

Michael Brown scores from the spot and runs to the Sheffield United Fans!!!

Brown puts the spot kick into the right hand corner of the goal after Ward moved to his left. A goal for Brown who's over exuberent celebrations earnt him a yellow card!

A bitter pill for Forest and their fans. Despite playing the better football and scoring first thanks to the reckless tackle by Louis-Jean Sheffield United are right back in it

Forest quickly trying to get back into the lead - Ward unleashing a long clearance looking for Johnson, but Kenny claims the loose ball

A pathetic shot from Gareth Williams when he could easily have scored. A ball across the edge of the penalty box found the Forest midfielder but he went for placement not power and the ball trickled to the keeper. Poor.

Windass goes into the book after clattering into Brennan, reckless and clumsy by the big centre-forward

The ball seeing plenty of heads as it cannons and rebounds between the Forest defeners, Windass and Asaba before the latter handles and gifts respite to the home team

Kenny comfortable takes the ball after a great cross is whipped in

Huckerby loses out on the halfway line as he is tackled by two Sheffield United players

A good move by the Baldes but Ndlovu doesn't have the shot to cap of the move which includes Asaba and Tonge exchanges greats passes

Curtis and Ndlovu try to force a opportunity down the right handside, the ball comes to Brown who drives a speculative drive from distance but its wide

Not very thoughtful stuff from Forest who try to gain a shooting chance by launching a long clearance to Johnson who fails to flick the ball to Harewood

Another corner for Forest. Reid launches in a cross and it drops into a group of players, but it is cleared after a melee

Page clears after live-wire Johnson almost contrives an opening

Forest win the ball back and Johnson again making life diffiuclt for the Blades backline, this time Kenny comes a claims the ball ahead of the dangerous-looking Johnson

Sheffield United are really being pegged back at the moment with Forest applying pressure. Louis-Jean overhits a cross with plenty to aim at in the box, disappointing

A corner to Forest. Scimeca puts the ball in and Huckerby tries a half volley in the area but its is deflected clear

Sheffield United have a corner of their own after a quick break

The first kick is cleared by Brennan for another corner, the second is plucked out of the sky by Ward

The Blades are back in the ascendancy Windass passes to Asaba who knocks in a great cross but with the two strikers creating the chances there is no-one to finish them

Rankine is down injured after failing awkwardly following a tackle on Huckerby

Louis-Jean is working hard down the right channel for Forest trying to make up for his tackle that lead to the penalty

Johnson tries his luck but Kenny saves after good appoach play by Forest and Harewood

Brennan feeds the ball to Huckerby who pulls it back to Johnson who tries a shot but its out for a goal kick. Huckerby was in a better position and should have tried his luck

Substituion for Sheffield United: Steve Kabba on for Dean Windass

Kabba making the most of the tired defenders running at them and causing problems

Michael Dawson sent off!

Teenager Dawson leaves the pitch to applause from the home fans. He was guilty of a rash tackle on Kabba hitting his ankle hard, but not deliberately - Dawson can feel aggreived

Striker David Johnson leaves the field after being substituted for John Thompson, who will fill the defensive roll vacated by Dawson

Forest are deflated and suddenly Sheffield are full of enthusiasm keen to make the most of their numerical advantage.

A great tackle by Louis-Jean, perfect timing this time to disposses Kabba

We're in the last five minutes of this game and the Blades have a corner

The kick is knocked in as they strive for a winner but Walker clears

Brown, who has been influential all season for the Blades, is working hard and well with Ndlovu and Curtis providing support

Four minutes of added time is signalled by the fourth official - can either side find a winner before the game ends?

Forest are making light work of the fact that they are a man down working hard for eachother - Huckerby ends a great move with shot

The Blades break and win a corner following an excellent shot by Jakielka

Forest clear the danger, but the frantic defenders clear too hastily and the visitors are soon back into possession Curtis fires in a looping cross which just narrowly miss the far post of Ward's goal

Kabba slips on the wet turf when he was in the box and almost in a position to take a shot- frustrating stuff for the Blade

Forest are being streched by Sheffield United with Brown pulling the strings in the middle of the park

It's all over, the referee blows the final whistle and the game ends 1-1

Forest will be disappointed to have been infront but end up drawing the game, Louis-Jean's poor tackle could prove very costly and with his red card Dawson finds himself suspended for the return leg at Brammall Lane on Thursday