CENTRAL LEAGUE FIXTURE

NOTTINGHAM FOREST RESERVES 1 PORT VALE RESERVES 2

Marc Richards made a goal-scoring return in Vale's 2-1 success against Nottingham Forest this afternoon, levelling the scores after Vale fell behind to a young Forest side.

Ryan Tinsley opened the scoring when he nipped in to intercept a back pass from Ryan Lloyd to tap in to an empty net with Chris Martin having little chance to stop him.

Richards went close for the Vale from a tight angle, but equalised from close range when he met a cross from trialist Albert Jarrett on 32 minutes to beat Dimitar Evtimov in the Forest goal.

The Vale skipper continued to cause the home side problems, but it was substitute Alex Russell who got the decisive goal early in the second half, beating the offside trap to fire under the advancing Forest 'keeper.

It was a good test for Richards, who has been out injured since limping off during the opening match of the season against Crawley Town.

Hopefully he should now be in contention for the long trip to Devon this weekend when Vale take on foot of the table Plymouth Argyle at Home Park.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST:  Evtimov, Sebastiao, Ackroyd, Hollingsworth, Gorman, Andrews, Kyprianou, Artymatas, Tinsley, Blake, Osborne. SUBS: Gnahore (on for Kyprianou, 80), Fenton, Thomas, Swindell (on for Tinsley, 46), Paqlmer-Samuels (on for Osborne, 66)