A Chris Wood winner in extra-time sent Nottingham Forest through to the fourth round of the FA Cup as they beat Blackpool 3-2 at Bloomfield Road.
Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo shuffled his pack for the replay on the west coast, making four changes to his XI. And one of those players who came in quickly made an impact.
Andrew Omobamidele put the visitors in front with 16 minutes on the clock, marking his Reds debut in fine fashion. Murillo had already forced a save with a header before his fellow centre-back supplied a lovely finish at the far post from a corner which had been flicked on by Ryan Yates. Forest celebrated by raising aloft a shirt showing support for midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, whose father has passed away.
READ MORE: How the FA Cup action unfolded at Bloomfield Road
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Chances to build on that lead were few and far between before the break, though. An off-target Nicolas Dominguez effort was as close as the visitors got.
That changed barely a minute after the restart. The Reds capitalised on a mistake at the back, with Dominguez thwarted but Danilo finding the back of the net with the follow-up.
Any hopes of comfortable progression to the fourth round were thwarted on the hour, though, as Albie Morgan reduced the deficit for the Seasiders. Kyle Joseph then completed the comeback for the hosts with ten minutes to go.
It took a big block from Orel Mangala to keep Forest in the tie and force extra-time. And Wood made that moment count by scoring in the second period to send the Reds through to the next round.
Here’s how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players at Bloomfield Road…
Odysseas Vlachodimos: Wasn’t helped by some poor defending in front of him as the Seasiders came from behind. Is unlikely to have given Nuno a selection headache, though. Rating: 5/10
Neco Williams: Some decent moments but also a few nervy ones from the Welshman. Looked bright at times, but defensively the Reds lost their way in the second half. Rating: 6/10
Andrew Omobamidele: What a way to mark his debut. Took his goal really well with a confident, composed finish at the back post. Nice to see him given an opportunity. Rating: 7/10
Murillo: Some nice touches on the ball but was caught out for the equaliser. Seemed to be struggling when he came off in extra-time; Forest will be hoping it isn’t serious. Rating: 6/10
Nuno Tavares: A big opportunity for the Arsenal loanee to catch Nuno’s eye after a decent cameo in the first game. Not quite the same level of performance this time around, though. Rating: 5.5/10
Ryan Yates: The kind of game you’d expect to suit the midfielder. Had a decent first half but the Reds lost their way after the break. Kept up his effort levels in extra-time, though. Rating: 6.5/10
Orel Mangala: It remains to be seen what happens to the midfielder before the window closes, but he put in a typically tidy performance at Bloomfield Road. Made a huge block on the line. Rating: 7.5/10
Danilo: Hopefully getting on the scoresheet proves to be a timely confidence boost.for the Brazilian. Been in need of something to get him going this season. Rating: 6/10
Callum Hudson-Odoi: No doubt some sharp intakes of breath in the Forest dugout when he went down and required treatment. Some encouraging moments, just needed a bit more belief to make the most of them. Rating: 6/10
Chris Wood: A quiet game from the front man as the Reds struggled to find much by way of attacking fluency. Popped up when they needed him, though. Rating: 6.5/10
Nicolas Dominguez: The Argentine did his best to provide the spark in Gibbs-White’s absence. Had some positive moments and was pretty lively throughout. Rating: 7.5/10
Subs
Brandon Aguilera (for Hudson-Odoi, 85mins): Showed some really promising glimpses and certainly didn’t look short of confidence. Rating: 7.5/10
Harry Toffolo (for Tavares, 85mins): Crossing ability was useful and provided fresh legs in extra-time. Rating: 6.5/10
Scott McKenna (for Murillo, 102mins): A rare runout for the centre-back. Will it prove to be his last one for the club? Rating: 6/10
Gonzalo Montiel (for Williams, 102mins): Forest needed everyone to contribute by the end of a gruelling night. Rating: 6/10
Joe Worrall (for Omobamidele, 106mins): The return of the Worrall-McKenna partnership was perhaps something of a surprise, but they saw out the win. Rating: 6/10
Subs not used: Turner, Osong, McDonnell, Gardner.
How would you rate the Reds? Have your say in the comments below
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
