Bolton Wanderers took the lead twice, but were pegged back on both occasions as the two Championship sides ran out an entertaining 2-2 stalemate.

The first chance of the game fell to Forest, as summer recruits Britt Assombalonga and Matty Fryatt combined but failed to test the Bolton goalkeeper.

The Wanderers took the lead however after just four minutes, as captain Jay Spearing fired in a left-wing free kick and was glanced beyond Karl Darlow by the head of Joe Mason to give Dougie Freedman's men the lead. Mason, who is currently on-loan at the Macron Stadium from Cardiff City, has now scored on all three of his debut appearances for the Whites.

Forest had two glorious chances to level the scoreline on the quarter-hour mark, as Andy Reid saw his powerful header parried off the line by Bogdan, before showing excellent reflexes to stop Fryatt's header from the rebound.

Mason and Craig Davies almost capitalised on defensive mistakes made by the visitors, but Karl Darlow was quick to react to prevent the Trotters from extending their lead.

However, Stuart Pearce's side were level after 27  minutes, when a deflected cross from Chris Burke found its way to Michail Antonio, who headed the ball across the goal to Assombalonga, who smashed the ball passed Bogdan and into the Bolton net. There were appeals for offside from the Men in White, but were all turned down by the linesman.

Bolton took the lead again just two minutes later, as David Wheater pounced on a yet another Spearing free-kick, to fire home a second for the Wanderers. This lead lasted until ten minutes before half-time, as a clumsy challenge from Spearing inside the area on Assombalonga gave the referee no choice but to point to the spot. The former Peterborough man stepped up and fired his penalty kick straight down the middle, flying through Bogdan's legs.

Dougie Freedman would have been glad that the half-time whistle had blown, as Forest were taking control of the game and looked the most likely team to score next.

HT: Bolton Wanderers 2-2 Nottingham Forest

Neither side made any changes at the break, as both sets of players looked to carry on the momentum that the first half provided.

Forest were the only team looking to take the lead, as Assombalonga saw his headed attempt sail just wide of the post, as he searched for his first hat-trick in a red shirt. Chris Cohen's deflected shot brought out a smart save from Bogdan soon after, before the introduction of Darren Pratley and Liam Trotter killed off the waves of attack from Forest.

Craig Davies should have given Bolton the lead yet again just before 80 minutes, but he failed to keep his diving header down after connecting to a brilliant cross by McNaughton.

Both sides failed to test either opposition from then on, as the two teams settled for a point in this Championship clash.

FT: Bolton Wanderers 2-2 Nottingham Forest

Bolton now host Middlesbrough on Tuesday and Nottingham Forest face a trip to Bournemouth on the same night.

Bolton Wanderers: Bogdan, McNaughton, Mills, Wheater, Ream, Chung-Yong, Spearing, Kamara (Pratley 66), Danns (Trotter 70), Mason, C Davies (Beckford 89)

Subs Not Used: Feeney, Dervite, Lonergan, Wilkinson

Booked: Spearing, Pratley, Mills

Goals: Mason 4, Wheater 29

Nottingham Forest: Darlow, Hunt, Hobbs, Fox, Harding, Burke (McLaughlin 90), Cohen, Reid, Antonio (Lichaj 86), Fryatt (Veldwijk 90), Assombalonga

Subs Not Used: Paterson, de Vries, Grant, Osborn

Goals: Assombalonga 27,35(pen)