Nottingham Forest 0 - 0 Doncaster Rovers

In the pub before today's game, I pondered over whether it would be either today's fixture or the one in ten days' time when our current run of form might come to a crashing halt. Anyone looking over the fixture list will have probably worked out by now that the two fixtures in question - both at home - are against sides that achieved a double over us last season.

So, with the words Doncaster and Oldham filling me with dread, I couldn't help an uneasy feeling going into today's game, and certainly Doncaster have not done badly so far this season. In the event it was better than originally feared, although arguably it might just about have fallen into the 'could have won' category too.

Injury to Wes at Cheltenham last week paved the way for Brecks to return alongside Chambers at the back, and with Holt facing a hernia op in the near future Tyson started up front alongside Agogo, with the rest of the line-up pretty much the same as it has been for the last few weeks.

I'm not sure on what basis the marketing men and the number-crunchers decide at the beginning of the season which games are going to be designated Kids-for-a-Squid, although the start of the half-term break in many areas may certainly be one factor. However despite the boost in attendance - no doubt helped by the bright weather - this was a pretty uninspiring show, certainly for the first hour, so little point in dwelling on it too much. We were solid enough at the back and in midfield, but with Rovers defending in numbers (Commons rarely with less than three defenders stuck to him like glue and Bennett left looking isolated on the left) it was one of those days it was gonna take something special and clever to break them down. Otherwise, it was a succession of minor incidents, including one or two tentative chances being missed by the front pair and giving the much-disliked Neil Sullivan (for his Fabien Barthez-style penalty gamesmanship here two years ago) little to do for the first 45 minutes, Tyson doing his customary 'injured' spot, both defences working the offside trap well, and Doncaster having a goal ruled out for offside midway through the opening period.

It was not until the second half when Roberts and Guy came on for McDaid and Greer just after the hour-mark which stirred the game up enough for it to come to life. We'd made a reasonable enough start following the break, but today was one of those days when you struggled to find a red shirt in the box when it mattered (minefield mentality once again), and as a consequence rendering the crosses provided by Bennett and Cohen ineffective. Not that the crosses themselves were that good - too predictable and with little pace in most cases, something which didn't change until Grant Holt arrived late in the game (on for a decidedly lacklustre Tyson) when shortly afterwards someone remembered it might be a good idea to try playing the ball to feet in the final third - something which brought us closest to reaping dividends all afternoon when Commons sent a telling cross in from the left, Holt connected perfectly with it despite being under pressure, and it took an excellent save from Sullivan to deny him.

Just before that we'd also survived the biggest scare of the afternoon when Doncaster caught us on the break and Mark Wilson had only Smudge to beat right in front of goal. The shot hit the crossbar and thankfully Kelvin Wilson was there to block Hayter's follow-up shot. We can count ourselves fortunate - Mark Wilson ought to have buried it, and at that late stage of the game we'd have found no way back.

In games where a goal just doesn't look like coming there's usually one clear chance for either side, and those two chances at either end were it. Although right at the end, Agogo having recovered from an apparent cramp attack went close from a corner, but by then we were pretty much resigned to drawing a blank today and the full time whistle followed shortly afterwards.

So, disappointing not to be able to continue the winning run, but today's result still a big improvement on last season's fixture, and of course it was yet another clean sheet as we are able to boast the meanest defence in League One with only three goals conceded at home and three away. Still fourth in the league and very much in touch with top spot - though that game in hand will only be worth anything if we can make it count, and the spectre of three consecutive defeats by Oldham must be put firmly in the past.

And for that to happen a few niggles need to be addressed, mainly in the final third where we're still too predictable. Crosses need more pace and there needs to be more red shirts in the places for where those crosses are bound. One token striker with about as much room to move as the surface area of a telephone kiosk with five defenders on his back does not represent a potent strike force. And on the subject of pace, I mentioned last time that players with pace are only of any use when they can do something with it - something which Tyson is finding difficult to achieve just at the moment.

On the positive side it was fairly apparent to see why Chris Cohen took many of the plaudits at Whaddon Road last week and he looks better in each game. Also worthy of mention is Kelvin Wilson who as well as help dig us out of a hole late on almost got on the scoresheet himself when he managed to break free from the dangerous Hayter and mount a rare Forest counter-attack with the help of Agogo.

With our away form taking care of itself at the moment a chance now to match it at home with three games in eight days to look forward to. After that our promotion prospects will be looking considerably more defined.

Just got to make it happen.

Ref Watch: S Tanner - Managed to alienate himself to both sets of fans with some bizarre decisions, but if he was inept he was at least consistent.

Entertainment Value: Performance was functional, but as a spectacle this was hardly riveting stuff. 5/10

Atmosphere: The nearest league game we have to class as a local derby match - you'd never have guessed judging by the library-after-closing-time feel to it though. See also Lowlights below.

Highlights: Can't really think of any today, though I guess yet another clean sheet is enough to be thankful for.

Lowlights: Five years ago the pre-match build-up at City Ground was something other clubs would envy. Today, the pre-match music was a total mish-mash and created zero atmosphere for when the teams came out. Can someone sort it out, please - and fast!

Stinker: Tyson - looked out of sorts and lacked hunger for the ball.

Stormer: Chris Cohen - continuing where he left off last week.