SLOG MARI AVOID

Forest's panto villain owner steers clear of timid battle

- by MIKE WALTERS

FOR a needle match, it was less prickly than a five o'clock shadow - and the pantomime villain didn't even turn up.

Nuno Espirito Santo remains on a short leash as Nottingham Forest's ringleader and Crystal Palace, who have spent just £3m since winning the FA Cup in May, are still dangerously short of squad depth.

In the end, a point apiece was about right. But the predicted outbreak of Queensberry Rules over Palace being gazumped in Europe by Forest never materialised.

Two smartly-taken goals aside, the contest on the pitch lacked creativity and composure in the final third.

And in the stands, any grudges were only as stroppy as a church wardens' disagreement over raspberry or strawberry jam at the vicarage tea party.

To nobody's surprise, after their courtroom demotion from the Europa League, the Palace fans filled the sultry South London air with their vulgar refrain about UEFA, former director John Textor and Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.