Bellegarde goal denies Forest waste and leaves Wolves relieved with a point | Premier League

Nuno Espírito Santo is generally recognised as a safety-first coach, a manager who likes to build from a solid foundation, but increasingly Nottingham Forest Wolves are shooting from the hip, registering the highest number of shots in the Premier League in the opening games of the season. The fact that they have only scored one goal from their last 16 attempts will be a topic for their analysts to mull over, but after Jean-Ricner Bellegarde equalised Chris Wood's opener, Wolves will be relieved to have picked up their first point of the season.

In their first three unbeaten games, Forest have had 53 shots; Nuno will be hoping for a higher conversion rate as his new charges gel considering the quality of attack at their disposal after another busy summer transfer window.

Of the 10 new signings, however, Morgan Gibbs-White remains their most creative player. New England Call-Up Nuno was influential again but was unlucky not to be in the winning side against his former employers. His manager, who gave him his Premier League debut when they were together at Wolves, is delighted for him. “It was a dream for him,” said Nuno, “something he worked very hard for. He deserves it and we wish him all the best. He is enjoying his football. He is a very humble lad though and will say he can keep improving.”

Fans' exchanges of opinions over the relative merits of Gibbs-White had barely died down when the teams traded two goals in a stunning opening 12 minutes. Wolves were much better defensively with Craig Dawson recalled after the match. 6-2 home defeat by Chelsea, But he stuck with a back four with Toti Gomes at left-back. The experiment of putting Rayan Aït-Nouri on the left wing didn't work, although the Algerian almost scored in the opening minutes when Matheus Cunha set him up. After his first shot had nutmegged Matz Sels in the Forest goal, Murillo cleared Aït-Nouri's next effort off the goal line.

Forest took the lead when Wood, hardly a secret weapon for opposing defenders, was given the freedom to head home Elliot Anderson's corner. Sam Johnstone looked easy to beat but the £10m debutant redeemed himself later in the first half with a brilliant save from Gibbs-White's free-kick which had looped into the top corner. “I was pleased with Sam,” said Gary O'Neil, the Wolves manager. “Whatever he had to do he did well and his kicking was good. When we had to kick long he put it in good areas which the lads were prepared for.”

The Forest fans had barely finished celebrating when Wolves equalised. Mario Lemina won the ball back and Bellegarde skilfully passed it through before firing a powerful right-footed shot into the top corner from 25 yards. It was Wolves' first goal from outside the box in 47 games.

Forest now have a wealth of attacking options, but the best of them remains Gibbs-White. He sees different angles, different options. Anderson’s movement off the ball is superb and, 11 minutes into the second half, the £35m signing from Newcastle United was the recipient of Gibbs-White’s no-look pass into the box. Wolves were relieved when his shot deflected off Yerson Mosquera and into the roof of the net.

Gibbs-White doesn't just chip the ball, he picks it up off the ground. It was in another such play, with Wolves defenders not daring to dive for fear of tripping over his quick feet in the area, that the Forest captain invited Wood to head home from six yards. Johnstone saved superbly.

Forest continued to dominate, with the City Ground at its volatile and hostile best, but Wolves had their difficult moments at the other end. Tommy Doyle's thunderous shot from 25 yards bounced just over the bar and, at the last moment, Cunha deflected a low shot wide.

Meanwhile, O'Neil was booked for his protests after a free-kick hit Wood's arm in the box when the Forest striker was looking at his man. The home side could argue that Wood's header hit Jørgen Strand Larsen in the first half. “My reaction was passionate, human, but there was no swearing,” said O'Neil. “I apologised to Simon[Hooper, the referee]but I also told him it was a penalty. It was interesting how close Simon came to blowing the whistle. He put it on his lips. But it's been a good week.”