City lose on penalties against Nottingham Forest in cup

Match Report: Exeter City 2-2 Nottingham Forest (2-4 penalties)

Despite a perfect start for Exeter City, their FA cup dreams have vanished after losing on penalties against Nottingham Forest at St James Park. 

Exeter City forced Premier League high-flyers Nottingham Forest to penalties but fell short at the final hurdle. Despite the hosts being down to 10 men for over half an hour and taking a real fight to Forest they lost four, two on penalties. 

It was a chilly night in Devon, but the atmosphere was anything but cold. Thousands of fans              

On paper, there was a huge gap between these two sides - 60 places in the football pyramid, to be exact. 

Exeter City started the first 10-minutes match on top, immense pressure from the hosts gave them early opportunities. Subsequently, Exeter made Nottingham Forest sweat and a mistake from the high-flying Premier League side enabled Exeter striker Josh Magennis to slot the ball in and put Exeter City ahead, to the delight of the home fans. 

Nottingham Forest began to settle into the match, after the early setback and started to press very high. The Premier League showed some resilience and quality and following a lapse in judgement from Exeter City, Nottingham winger Ramon Sosa placed the ball past the keeper and levelled the match. 

The visitors gained confidence from their leveller and controlled much of the first half, thwarting Exeter from really entering the final third.

Nottingham retained pressure very well, gained great momentum and forced Exeter City into a mistake and ex-Liverpool player Taiwo Awoniyi received the ball with his back to goal and placed into the bottom corner from over 20-yards out. Exeter goalkeeper Joe Whitworth had no chance. 
 
They continued to force Exeter into uncomfortable positions but couldn’t extend their lead before the break. The half-time score at St James’ Park was Exeter City 1-2 Nottingham Forest. 

The start of the second half was almost identical to the first, Exeter City scored within five minutes. 

The initial shot by Exeter striker Josh Magennis was saved by the Forest keeper but it was fumbled and the follow up was smashed in to give Exeter. To the delight of the Exeter fans, City levelled it, again.

Despite Exeter’s equaliser sparking even more confidence for the Grecians, Nottingham regained control of the match, and their quality was evident. Even though Exeter knocked on Forest’s door multiple times; they just couldn’t find a foot through it. 

However, Exeter debutant Ed Turns was sent off following a high challenge on Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White. 

A collision between Exeter goalkeeper Joe Whitworth and Nottingham forward Taiwo Awoniyi forced a stoppage of approximately 10 minutes as medical teams attended to the players.

With just minutes remaining, both teams came agonizingly close to scoring. Nottingham rattled the post in the dying moments, pure FA Cup drama on a freezing evening at St James’ Park.

The full-time score was Exeter City 2-2 Nottingham Forest.

Exeter was playing very defensive in the first half of extra-time. Nottingham Forest tried to score but the hosts thwarted them at every opportunity. 

Just minutes into the second period of extra-time Exeter City goalkeeper Joe Whitworth pulled off an enthralling save to prevent Nottingham scoring from a corner. 

Despite countless Nottingham Forest attacks they couldn’t find a way through Exeter’s 10-men.     `

Neither side could score in normal time and the intense fixture went to a penalty shootout. The Exeter City fans seemed much happier than the Forest fans for penalties. 

Nottingham Forest won 4-2 on penalties. 

ATTENDANCE: 8,330