Nottingham Forest striker Sam Surridge felt “it was almost meant to be” that he would score his first Premier League goal against his former team Bournemouth.
Serge scored an 83rd-minute equalizer to deny the Cherries their first win since November.
He converted Brennan Johnson’s low cross, sliding in at the back post, but suffered panic as the video assistant referee checked to see if he was in.
The 24-year-old started just seven league games with Bournemouth between 2017 and 2021, and had loan spells at Yeovil Town, Oldham Athletic and Swansea City.
“For whatever reason they [the Bournemouth supporters] decided to boo me,” he told Match of the Day.
“I spent a lot of time here and I knew I was going to have a goal – I could feel it.
“It’s a special moment for me, to score my first Premier League goal against my former club. I thought it was almost meant to be.”
Forest are now four games unbeaten and 13th in the table, and boss Steve Cooper was delighted with Serge’s contribution.
“He screwed up, but got the last laugh,” Cooper said. “I have a lot of respect for Sam, not just the performance but the way he gives everything when he gets the chance.
“It’s off the bench at the moment, but it’s having a really big impact and I’m really happy for it.”
The Cherries took the lead in the 28th minute when winger Dengo Ouattara, making his debut following a £20million move from Laurent on Thursday, crossed from the right and Jadon Anthony finished with a low strike.
But the hosts could not hang on as they conceded a late drop to 18th and in the Premier League relegation zone, four points behind Forest.
The Cherries miss a chance for a valuable three points.
For Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neill, the result extended his run of matches without a win to seven after a successful temporary spell in charge earned him the manager’s job on a permanent basis in November.
The Cherries at least ended a six-game losing streak in all competitions, but will see this as a missed opportunity to pick up three invaluable points.
Forest came into the match with just two goals from nine Premier League games – the division’s worst record – but thought they had a third on the road after just 13 minutes.
It was a well-taken free-kick that saw Morgan Gibbs-White lift the ball to the back post where Willie Boley volleyed home and Ryan Yates converted with a diving header, only for a VAR check to show that Boley It was completely offside.
The visitors had other chances as Gibbs White had a shot saved by Nato, Serge Aurier headed over from a corner and Renan Lodi fired over from 30 yards.
Bournemouth, after a slow start, added to the game when Kiefer Moore missed a great chance six yards out from Jordan Zimora’s cross.
Forest did not heed the warning as Bournemouth scored three minutes later with Ouattara doing well down the right and Anthony netting against the visitors in their second game of the season.
Steve Cooper handed striker Chris Wood an immediate Forest debut when he joined on loan from Newcastle on Friday – his 25th signing of the season – but he struggled to make an impact.
Another new player also got his first minute in a Forest shirt as Brazilian midfielder Danilo, a £16m signing from Palmeiras, replaced the injured Yates just before half-time.
Johnson had a low shot that was well saved by Neto as Bournemouth looked to be heading for what would have been a much-needed victory.
But their defense had seven minutes left when Serge struck for the first time since the double at Grimsby in the Carabao Cup five months ago.
