Nottingham Forest scraped past Exeter City 4-2 on penalties following a dramatic 2-2 draw to reach the fifth round of 2024-25 FA Cup.
Neco Williams converted Forest’s fourth and final penalty to seal a 4-2 win on penalties after Reece Cole and Angus MacDonald failed to convert Exeter’s second and third penalties respectively.
Josh Magennis initially fired Exeter into a fifth minute lead on the rebound after Carlos Miguel flapped Demetri Mitchell’s cross down to his feet.
Ramon Sosa and Taiwo Awoniyi turned the first half around for Forest with clinical strikes, before Willy Boly deflected Magennis’ 50th minute shot into his own net to gift Exeter an early second-half equaliser.
Exeter were reduced to ten men in the 87th minute after Ed Turns was red carded for a high-footed tackle on Morgan Gibbs-White, but the Grecians clung on with a man down throughout extra-time.
Nottingham Forest will next host Ipswich Town in the Fifth Round between 28 February – 3 March 2025.
Speaking to ITV Sport post-match, Forest substitute goalkeeper, Matz Sels admitted that the team had expected a tough contest and was pleased to play his part in the victory.
“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.”
Having seen their bigger Devon rivals, Plymouth upset Liverpool at the weekend, Exeter began this tie on the front foot with an energetic intensity to their attacking play which saw them win a fifth minute corner.
The set-piece was initially cleared but was quickly worked across to the right flank where Mitchell whipped in a cross which Miguel could only flap to Magennis’ feet, and the Northern Ireland striker was free to smash into the empty net to put the Grecians into a shock early lead.
Forest soon cranked up their attacking gears and Danilo saw two chances denied in successive minutes but the Premier League side soon got their reward in the 15th minute, through Ibrahim Sangare’s direct over-the-top cross which Sosa met and rolled into the net to equalise.
Exeter continued to battle hard defensively as Jota Silva and Awoniyi wasted chances to put Forest ahead as the visitors continued to dominate play.
Awoniyi eventually turned the tie around after he latched onto Sangare’s 37th minute pass and skilfully turned around on-the-turn to fire into the far-left corner, which sparked celebrations from Forest fans as the Reds took the lead into half-time.
Exeter however enjoyed another strong start as they came out fighting early in the second half and Boly deflected Magennis’ 50th minute rebound shot into his own net to restore parity to the home supporters’ delight, after Magennis’ initial header was blocked from a corner kick.
Jota Silva then put a header wide two minutes later as Forest immediately tried to retake the lead from a corner which was quickly cleared.
Miguel soon was forced off injured for Forest with Sels brought on in his place, which proved crucial as Sels punched away Ilmari Nisanen’s 62nd minute shot, as Exeter began to take control of the second half.
Exeter’s hopes of a late victory were dealt a blow in the 87th minute after Turns landed a high-footed challenge on the groin area of Forest substitute, Gibbs-White, which earned the Exeter player a red card from referee, Andrew Kitchen with little complaint.
Forest however were dealt their own blow after Awoniyi had to be stretchered off the pitch in injury-time following a serious 90th minute collision with Exeter goalkeeper – Joe Whitworth, which left to a 13-minute delay followed by ten minutes of the initial allocated injury-time in which neither team found a winner.
Exeter almost re-took the lead in the third minute of extra-time but Magennis’ shot was saved by Sels, whilst Chris Wood’s shot from Elliot Anderson’s cutback pass for Forest was saved in the second-half of extra-time as both teams wasted chances to snatch a winner as the tie ultimately went to a penalty shootout.
Magennis and Wood converted the opening penalties for Exeter and Forest respectively before Cole missed the hosts’ second spot-kick, which allowed Gibbs-White to roll his penalty down the middle to give the visitors the advantage after two penalties apiece.
Angus MacDonald struck Exeter’s third penalty onto the top-left corner of the woodwork, whilst Anderson converted his spot-kick to give Forest a two-goal advantage heading into the penultimate round of penalties, with Tony Yogane briefly giving the Grecians hope of a comeback.
Williams however netted Forest’s fourth and ultimately final penalty to secure the visitors’ passage into the fifth round, where Ipswich await at home.
What’s Next?
Exeter face a League One trip to rock-bottom Cambridge United on Saturday 15 February at 12:30pm GMT, as both teams continue to battle for third-tier survival.
Forest turn their attention to the Premier League with a tricky trip to Fulham on Saturday 15 February at 3pm GMT.
Teams
Exeter City: Joe Whitworth, Angus MacDonald, Ed Turns, Edward Francis (Woods 83′), Vincent Harper (Jones 83′), Jake Richards (Cole 83′), Ryan Trevitt (Watts 71′), Jack McMillan (Bird 90+13′), Demetri Mitchell (Yogane 74′), Ilmari Niskanen, Josh Magennis
Substitutes: Jack Aitchison, Jay Bird, Reece Cole, Pat Jones, Shaun MacDonald, Ben Purrington, Caleb Watts, Ryan Woods, Tony Yogane
Nottingham Forest: Carlos Miguel (Sels 59′), Alex Moreno (Williams 90′), Harry Toffolo, Willy Boly, Eric da Silva Moreira, Ryan Yates (Anderson 71′), Danilo (Dominguez 59′), Jota Silva, Ibrahim Sangare (Gibbs-White 72′), Ramon Sosa, Taiwo Awoniyi (Wood 90+13′)
Substitutes: Zach Abbott, Elliot Anderson, Nicolas Dominguez, Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White, Morato, Matz Sels, Neco Williams, Chris Wood
Referee – Andrew Kitchen
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