HENRI Lansbury would have been keen to leave his mark on this game after turning down a move to Burnley in the summer.

He would have not expected it to be a black mark - or rather red card - against his name.

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The Nottingham Forest captain had just seen his side take the lead against the run of play, albeit through a superb Eric Lichaj strike.

But after getting sent off a minute later, for a dreadful challenge on Ben Mee, Burnley used their extra man, and it was an extra special strike from Matt Taylor to equalise.

Andre Gray was at the double to beat Bolton at the weekend, but it was not his day at the City Ground, after an early effort was ruled out for offside when he reacted first to Joey Barton’s deflected shot bouncing back off a post.

Forest had been caught out early in Friday night’s defeat at Bristol City and, with three changes to that line-up, were determined not to make the same mistakes again.

Dougie Freedman’s side have been playing a 3-5-2 formation but on this occasion matched up Burnley’s 4-4-2, with Lichaj returning to right back, where ex-Claret Danny Fox had been so crudely exposed at Ashton Gate.

Lansbury, who was at the centre of a transfer saga that was played out publicly in the East Midlands, looked like a man with a point to prove. But he didn’t hammer it home.

If anything Burnley fans were perhaps made more grateful for their lot.

After all, if the reported £4million had gone on Lansbury then there might not have been the funds available to get Gray, who was a frequent burden to Forest’s back line.

Lansbury had a couple of chances, but the first took a huge deflection off Michael Keane that went over the bar, then another shot from distance was too direct and tame to trouble Tom Heaton, as was Nelson Oliveria’s after cutting in from the right to shoot.

In the meantime Scott Arfield had gone close with a low far post volley from Taylor’s right wing cross.

The Scot has yet to score this season, and having missed a couple against Bolton on Saturday went for placement ahead of power and frustratingly watched the ball drop wide across Dorus De Vries’ goal. The Dutch stopper was called into action by Taylor though, following a foul on the midfielder for which Oliveria went into the book.

Taylor, who scored from a set piece against Birmingham in August, bent the ball around the wall but De Vries dived to his right to palm it away.

Forest threatened again before the break, but Michael Duff did well to keep up with Jamie Ward’s burst into the box and force him to run the ball out of play

Defensive partner Keane had a much bigger let-off when he handled to stop Oliveira running through.

Keane was fortunate the punishment was not greater considering the chance that might have opened up, and more so when Ward fired the free kick straight against the wall. Forest probed again through Ward, but his slipped ball for Oliveira was well cut out by Mee.

At the start of the second half Gray, received a good ball from David Jones with his back to goal but after turning well skied his shot.

Oliveira went close for Forest but pulled his shot wide of the left hand post after benefitting from Ryan Mendes’ run.

With substitutions punctuating the second half the game looked destined to be goalless.

But no sooner had Heaton rivalled Manuel Neuer for save of the night to deny Mendes, than Lichaj had fired past him.

Forest’s joy turned to despair after Lansbury looked to leave a boot in on Mee.

It was an early bath for the captain, and late celebrations for Burnley as the Clarets pressed home their extra man advantage through Taylor’s stunning 90th minute strike to earn a share of the spoils ahead of Saturday’s East Lancashire derby.