Quick answer: Ipswich Town 1-1 Nottingham Forest. In Premier League Gameweek 8 at Portman Road on Friday 23 October 2026, Neco Williams gave Forest a 13th-minute lead and Julio Enciso equalised for Ipswich in the 41st minute. Forest had more of the attempts, 16 shots to Ipswich’s 7, but neither side found a winner.
Match summary
| Competition | Premier League 2026-27, Gameweek 8 |
| Date | Friday, 23 October 2026, 8:00pm BST (12:30am IST, Saturday) |
| Venue | Portman Road, Ipswich |
| Score | Ipswich Town 1-1 Nottingham Forest |
| Goals | Neco Williams 13′ (Forest), Julio Enciso 41′ (Ipswich) |
| Referee | Thomas Bramall |
| Managers | Gary O’Neil (Ipswich), Oliver Glasner (Forest) |
How the game unfolded
Forest strike first
Forest arrived without a home league goal all season and on a three-game losing run, but they started brightly. In the 13th minute, wing-back Neco Williams put them ahead, reportedly from a move involving Daniel Muñoz on the opposite flank. It was a rare early lead for a team that had scored only five league goals before this game.
Enciso levels before the break
Ipswich’s main threat came through Julio Enciso. He forced a save with a solo run around the half-hour mark before finding the net in the 41st minute with a low left-footed strike from outside the box. Forest also had an effort from Morgan Gibbs-White cleared off the line before half-time.
A tense second half
Both teams picked up a yellow card early in the second half, and an Ipswich incident involving Issa Diop was checked by VAR without further action. Forest pushed harder after the break: Muñoz had a shot cleared off the line, and substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi went close late on. At the other end, Ipswich substitute Jack Clarke dragged a shot just wide deep into stoppage time.
Key match stats
| Stat | Ipswich | Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 49% | 51% |
| Total shots | 7 | 16 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 4 |
| Corners | 0 | 5 |
| Fouls | 9 | 11 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 1 |
| Offsides | 2 | 1 |
The numbers suggest Forest will feel this was two points dropped: they had more than double Ipswich’s shots and five corners to none. Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton made three saves to keep the home side level.
Starting line-ups
Ipswich Town: Walton; Davis, O’Shea, Diop, Ouattara; Florentino, Palacios; Fatawu, Philogene, Enciso; Emersonn.
Nottingham Forest: Sels; Milenković, Jair Cunha, Murillo; Muñoz, McAtee, Schlager, N. Williams; Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Delap.
Morgan Gibbs-White started for Forest after missing the defeat to Arsenal, while Igor Jesus and Nicolò Savona remained out injured. Ipswich were without Saša Lukić (groin).
What the result means
For Ipswich
Ipswich, back in the Premier League this season, started the night 10th on 9 points, just one point behind sixth place. The draw takes them to 10 points from 8 games and keeps them in touch with the top half after a narrow 3-2 defeat at Manchester City last week. Their record against Forest remains poor, though: they have not beaten them since December 2017.
For Nottingham Forest
Forest came into the game 19th with 5 points, so a point away from home ends a run of three straight league defeats and moves them to 6 points from 8 games. Glasner’s side are creating chances but still struggle to score, and they remain in a relegation fight.
What’s next?
- Ipswich Town: away at Hull City on Saturday, 31 October 2026, then home to Bournemouth on 8 November.
- Nottingham Forest: will look to finally score at the City Ground in their next home league game.
Frequently asked questions
What was the score in Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest?
The match ended 1-1.
Who scored for Ipswich and Forest?
Neco Williams scored for Nottingham Forest in the 13th minute, and Julio Enciso equalised for Ipswich in the 41st minute.
Where was the match played?
At Portman Road, Ipswich Town’s home ground.
When did Ipswich last beat Nottingham Forest?
December 2017. Forest won the previous meeting 4-2 at Portman Road in March 2025.
Sources: Sportradar match data; VAVEL live coverage; Sports Mole and Yahoo Sports previews (October 2026).
