Forest manager Steve Cotterill was sad his side could not hold on and produce a win for Nigel Doughty in their first match since the chairman's death.
But following six successive league defeats at the City Ground Forest at least stopped that run with a much-improved performance.
Cotterill said: "We scored a goal for Nigel but we would like to have kept a clean sheet and won the game for him.
"It's been a tough week but I like to think I am an honest manager and I thought we had enough opportunities to have won two games today.
"We played really well, created an abundance of chances, didn't take them and are left feeling slightly disappointed.
"But we've got 17 matches left and if we give the same kind of performance at Middlesbrough on Tuesday night I will be very pleased.