Everton vs. Nottingham Forest score: Demarai Gray nets late as Toffees salvage home draw

A Demarai Gray goal two minutes from time salvaged a home draw for Everton against a Nottingham Forest side that will feel it should have come away with all three points.

A long ball over the top from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford found Gray in stride, and after an exquisite first touch, the Toffees forward beat Forest’s keeper Dean Henderson for the equalizer. Everton pushed hard for a late winner, but the visitors held on for a deserved point.

It was the first point of the season for Everton, who were playing their third match, while newly promoted Forest tacked on a fourth point. If the pre-season projections are any indication, that could be a massive result in the race to avoid relegation.

Everton started the match strongly and created a host of opportunities, but Henderson was sure-handed in goal for his latest standout performance in a Forest shirt. After weathering the early storm, the newly promoted side grew in confidence as the match progressed, and Taiwo Awoniyi had a chance inside the Everton box, but he could not get the ball past Pickford.

Awoniyi was replaced in the second half by a new £42.5 million ($50m) signing Morgan Gibbs-White who made his debut. But it was another substitute, Ryan Yates, who fired the shot that led to a rebound which Brennan Johnson put the home in the 81st minute for the momentary 1-0 lead.

With Everton’s attack looking anemic over the course of the match, it looked like Nottingham Forest would come away with all three points before the direct play from Pickford found Gray to send Goodison Park into delirium.