By Peter Hall
NOTTINGHAM, England (Reuters) – Chelsea dropped more points in their quest to climb back up the Premier League standings as Serge Aurier earned Nottingham Forest a 1-1 draw with Graham Potter’s side on Sunday.
Fresh from their first league win in six games last time out against Bournemouth, Chelsea started well in the Nottingham drizzle, with Raheem Sterlng firing them into the lead in the 16th minute.
Forest improved after the break and were desperately unlucky not to equalise early in the second half as Morgan Gibbs-White’s drilled half volley hit the underside of the crossbar but bounced on the goal line and away.
The hosts kept coming and deservedly levelled things up as Aurier fired home in the 63rd minute from a corner and looked the more likely to go on to win the match.
Forest could not complete the turnaround with Chelsea hanging on for a point that leaves them eighth in the standings, seven points behind Manchester United in fourth.
The hosts remain in the relegation zone but climbed to 18th, level on 14 points with West Ham United above them.
(Reporting by Peter Hall; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
