Hoping to continue their recent league resurgence after putting a morale-boosting three-match unbeaten run together in recent weeks, Nottingham Forest began assertively as Neto produced a sublime save to deny Morgan Gibbs-White.
Bournemouth were indebted to VAR on the stroke of the quarter-hour mark when Ryan Yates was denied the game’s opening goal after Wilfried Bony had strayed marginally offside in the build-up.
However, with the footballing gods on their side, Bournemouth were celebrating in the 28th minute with new £20-million man Dango Ouattara playing a significant part in the goal.
With regular strike-partner Dominic Solanke absent due to a jarred knee, Jaidon Anthony stepped up to the plate for Gary O’Neil’s relegation-threatened side with a clinical strike past the returning Wayne Hennessey into the far corner to give the Cherries’ the lead heading into half time.
On course to register their first league victory since the middle of November, Bournemouth were inches away from doubling their lead, only for Renan Lodi’s last-ditch interception to deny Ouattara from opening his goalscoring account for his new employers.
In pursuit of a late share of the spoils, Steve Cooper introduced a hat-trick of alterations for the final 10 minutes and was rewarded for his gamble. Previously without a Premier League goal to his name this season, Sam Surridge survived a possible intervention from VAR to set up an intriguing conclusion.
However, that was to be the last notable action of the game as a point apiece leaves Bournemouth staring an immediate return to the Championship in the face. Meanwhile, despite being denied a third successive league win, Nottingham Forest remain on an upwards trajectory away from the bottom three.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Dango Ouattara (Bournemouth)
