What a match to end the fourth round of the FA Cup. Nottingham Forest edge through, winning 4-2 on penalties after surviving a massive scare against League One Exeter City, with it 2-2 at the end of extra time.
Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport at St James Park
A much-changed Nottingham Forest side needed penalties to beat 10-man Exeter City in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Following a 2-2 draw after extra time, Forest ran out 4-2 winners on spot kicks as Reece Cole and Angus MacDonald missed for the home side before Neco Williams scored the decisive penalty for the visitors.
It means Forest, who made 10 changes to their side, avoided becoming the second Premier League side to be knocked out by a Devon club in this round after Plymouth Argyle stunned league leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
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Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to ITV: “It was a hard game.”
Nuno is asked what could have been better: “So many things. It was hard to play. We started in a bad way but the response was good. We had another setback after half-time and it became so hard. Credit to Exeter. I am happy in the end that we are going through.”
Exeter City
More from Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell speaking to ITV: “I am really proud of the team and the whole football club really. We showed what a special football club we are. We just came up short on penalties, which is a lottery. I am really proud of the players.
“We spoke a lot this week about team first and running for each other. I thought we were outstanding. With 10 men it was backs against the wall. We could have won or lost it near the end. It is a fantastic effort from the players.
“I think it shows the potential and what they are capable of and they can raise their game. We have to show that commitment to each other and if we do that, I am sure we have got a lot to look forward to.
“We are the only supporter-owned club in England and you can see the success we have had. There is a lot to look forward to at this club.”
ITV have just said that the injury suffered by Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi at the end of 90 minutes was a broken nose.
Exeter City
Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell, speaking to ITV: “We showed what a special football club we are. I’m really proud of my players.”
Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels speaking to ITV: “We knew before the game it would be difficult. We didn’t start the game well so I think after we came back well, we finished the game. It was just about ourselves and we made it difficult.
“You always need to be ready. I was ready and was helping the team in the right moments. It is a positive to go to the next round.
“Step by step. We have some important games in the league and then full focus on the cup. We try to continue as long as possible and we will see how far we can go.”
Exeter City
More from Exeter City captain Josh Magennis speaking to ITV: “I think that is the identity that the manager has tried to create. It was a great game even though we got beat.
“We are under no illusion they are a fantastic team, especially on the transition. It has to be a catalyst for us.
On the fans: “If you give them something to cheer about, they will back you.”
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Exeter City captain Josh Magennis, speaking to ITV: “These type of nights you want to live for. Going down to 10 men killed the momentum a little bit. I was entrusted to be captain of the team so I thought it was my responsibility to step forward and take the first penalty.
“Listen, they’re not in their position in the Premier League for no reason. It’s back to bread and butter and we’ve not been in a rich vein of form. But we can take positives from this. We can take confidence.
“Everyone left the stadium knowing that was an entertaining match.”
- Preston North End v Burnley
- Aston Villa v Cardiff City
- Crystal Palace v Millwall
- Manchester United v Fulham
- Newcastle United v Brighton
- Bournemouth v Wolves
- Manchester City v Plymouth Argyle
- Nottingham Forest v Ipswich Town
Matches to be played on the weekend of 1 March.
Nottingham Forest are the highest-placed Premier League team in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
These are the teams through to the last 16 (league positions in brackets).
Premier League: Nottingham Forest (3), Manchester City (5), Newcastle (6), Bournemouth (7), Aston Villa (8), Fulham (9), Brighton (10), Crystal Palace (12), Manchester United (13), Wolves (17), Ipswich Town (19).
Championship: Burnley (3), Millwall (14), Preston (15), Cardiff City (19), Plymouth Argyle (24).
This is how the fourth-round of the FA Cup panned out. Great drama all the way through.
This game kicked off 3 hours ago, I don’t know how they were still standing for those penalties. Exeter hold your heads high you have done yourselves proud.
Peter
I don’t think Exeter practiced penalties, which is fair enough..
James
Bow Jackson
Exeter City Women’s captain on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
Exeter have taken these giants and taken to this moment and they were denied by penalties. They have got to look at this and be proud and see how much they have developed in this match.
PA Media
What a match that was. A brave, brave effort from Exeter City, but Nottingham Forest scrape through, winning 4-2 on penalties.
Forest will entertain Ipswich Town, a team Nuno Espirto Santo’s side have already beaten at home this season, in round five.
PA Media
All over! Neco Williams finds the net – and Forest are in the fifth round!
This to win it for Forest. Score and they’re through.
That’s a lovely spot kick – the keeper dived but was well beaten.
Text-book spot-kick! The keeper had no chance.
Clatters against the crossbar!
Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport England
At
St James Park, Exeter
A much-changed Nottingham Forest needed penalties to beat 10-man Exeter City in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The two sides finished locked at 2-2 after extra time, but Forest ran out 4-2 winners on spot-kicks against the League One side.
Reece Cole had his effort saved, while Angus MacDonald hit the bar for the hosts before Neco Williams scored the decisive penalty for the visitors.
It means Forest, who made 10 changes to their team, avoided becoming the second Premier League side to be knocked out by a Devon club in the fourth round after Plymouth Argyle stunned Liverpool on Sunday.
It meant the end of an FA Cup dream for a gutsy Exeter outfit that had defended superbly, especially after debutant Ed Turns was sent off for an 87th-minute foul on substitute Morgan Gibbs-White.
Forest will host fellow Premier League side Ipswich Town in the fifth round at the start of next month.
Rex Features
Only Danilo survived from the Forest team that thrashed Brighton and Hove Albion 7-0 last week, while Exeter made five changes as defenders MacDonald and Turns made their debuts after last week’s 4-1 loss at Stevenage.
Exeter caught Forest cold when goalkeeper Carlos Miguel fumbled Demetri Mitchell’s curling effort into the path of Josh Magennis to score the opener from close range after just five minutes.
But Forest soon found their stride as Taiwo Awoniyi went close twice – the second needing a fine goalline clearance from Vincent Harper – before Ramon Sosa levelled as he coolly finished from Ibrahim Sangare’s weighted pass.
Awoniyi had 32nd-minute shot well saved by Exeter keeper Joe Whitworth before he deservedly put Forest ahead soon after as he fired into the bottom corner after turning well on the edge of the box as Turns and MacDonald struggled to contain the Nigerian striker.
However, Magennis restored Exeter’s lead five minutes after the restart, this time on hand to score a deflected effort after a scramble from a deep corner.
Miguel was forced off with an injury soon after, with keeper Mats Sels replacing him.
Sels had to be alert to palm away an Ilmari Niskanen strike five minutes later as a rejuvenated Grecians – backed by a vociferous home end of packed fans – had their best spell of the game.
Forest brought on Elliot Anderson and Gibbs-White with 20 minutes left and the pair both went close as the top flight side shifted up a gear.
Exeter gave Forest another scare as they pressured late on with a series of corners – one effort needing a desperate block from defender Willy-Arnaud Boly to clear the danger.
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City had Turns sent off before 20 minutes of stoppage time, caused in part by a head injury to Awoniyi. Jota Silva hit the post and Pat Jones brought a good save from Sels as both sides went close to snatching victory.
Forest brought on Chris Wood for the stricken Awoniyi, with Williams brought on at the start of extra time.
Whitworth twice saved well from Wood early in the second period as Forest began to dominate with Exeter’s depleted and tiring team dropping deeper and deeper.
But the Grecians defended superbly with crucial interceptions and frustrated their top flight opponents as they held out for a shoot out after two wasted chances from Nicholas Dominguez.
Magennis and Wood scored their side’s first penalties but Sels saved from Cole and MacDonald hit the bar either side of a successful Gibbs-White penalty.
Tony Yogane converted Exeter’s fourth spot kick to give the home side hope, but Wales international Williams calmly converted Forest’s fourth to send them through.
Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell told BBC Sport:
“It was a heroic effort – it feels like we’ve been playing for about three days.
“With 11 men I thought the game plan worked, we bought into it, we gave up possession to a team that wants to play counter-attack and we frustrated them.
“The disappointing thing was the two goals, they were soft goals from our point of view.
“The sending off obviously has a huge impact on the game, but against 11 we dig in, the finishers come on, we really gambled in the last 10 minutes, I didn’t want extra time.
“The players were outstanding. The mentality, the teamwork, the looking after each other and protecting each other in difficult moments was incredible. It’s something we have to take forward.
“We have to use this performance, we have to use this feeling and take this into the next 17 games.”
Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo told BBC Radio Nottingham:
“It was a tough one. This is the FA Cup, we knew how hard it was going to be.
“Credit to Exeter, but probably we didn’t do one of the best games.
“At the end we are happy, this is more important.
“Penalties is not a lottery. We have to prepare them and the boys were really focused on doing things properly.
“We take our penalty shots in training sessions and did really well here.”
