by It’s easy to see why Nuno Espírito Santo doesn’t like cup replays after his Nottingham Forest side pushed all the way for a place in the fourth round at League One Blackpool until Chris Wood’s 110th-minute winner. It looked like an easy night on the beach for an hour but a goal from Albie Morgan and substitute Kyle Joseph sent the game into extra time.
Forest kicked off their £11m summer signing of Andrew Omobamidele, four-and-a-half months after joining the club, proving their seventh-choice centre-back was worth having. It was a solid team fielded by Nuno, who may not be keen on the concept of FA Cup replays but knows the importance of rhythm for a struggling Premier League team, especially given that they are facing possible points deduction and need to maintain the momentum they have found under Steve Cooper’s successor.
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It was very cold on Bloomfield Road, which meant the sparse nature of the crowd. The pitch was hard and he was able to remove layers of skin whenever a sliding challenge went in, and the first contact was difficult due to the bounce. Hopefully, a beach ball was thrown around between the away fans, who – against the advice of the coastguard – vowed to go into the sea if Yates scored.
Dan Grimshaw welcomed the chance to warm his arms when Murillo headed a corner to the keeper’s left but he screamed to his left and headed home. Set pieces looked to be key for Forest as Omobamidele flashed home Nicolás Domínguez’s corner in the 16th minute. It wasn’t a glamorous goal after Yates’ flick to the back post but on a night like this nobody from Nottingham was complaining. Omobamidele held up a shirt reading “Thinking of you Kouyaté” after the death of his colleague Cheikhou’s father.
Yates, Danilo and Mangala – the latter the subject of a major bid from Rennes – dominated the midfield for Forest, offering the quality and resilience needed on a tough trip away to a League One club. They kept things simple and ensured the visitors enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, as Blackpool struggled to find a way into the game.
Less than a minute into the second half, Forest’s nerves went away as they doubled their lead. Blackpool were the architects as they failed to play out of defence, which saw Grimshaw slide out to pass from a badly beaten Morgan. The goalkeeper saved a job from Domínguez, both injured in the process, only for the ball to reach the edge of the box where Danilo was waiting to slot into the net despite Marvin Ekpiteta’s failed efforts to block it on the line.
Grimshaw was unable to continue due to Domínguez’s injury, which led to Richard O’Donnell being called from the bench, although an early shower seemed little better than a shake between the sticks.
It felt like Forest were cruising but Blackpool found their spirit and fought on. Morgan made up for his earlier mistake by controlling a clearance 20 yards from goal and rifling the ball into the top corner, sending orange smoke into the sky from the back of the net. This was Blackpool’s first shot on target of the game, a sign of the difficulties they faced in the opening hour. The trophy was in the balance.
David Wagner can look forward to a reunion with close friend Jürgen Klopp after a 3-1 win over Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium saw Liverpool reach the fourth round.
Matt Taylor’s League One side were worried when Luke McCormick fired them ahead after 20 minutes but Norwich made a second-half breakthrough with goals from Gabriel Sara, Adam Idah and Kenny McLean seeing them into the fourth round.
Rovers started the third round replay brightly. Former Norwich winner Chris Martin saw an early effort drift just wide then Luke Thomas’ header was comfortably saved by George Long, before the keeper reacted superbly to deny Antony Evans. It was only temporary relief for Norwich as from the following corner McCormick put the Gas in charge with a carefully low drive inside the penalty area.
Rovers and Thomas should have taken the lead just before half-time as the Norwich defense collapsed but he wasted an inviting opening and side-footed a goal wide from just outside the area. Rovers continued to enjoy the lead after the break and Thomas’ powerful shot was only kept out by Long and only desperate defending awaited the hosts as they sought a potentially decisive second goal .
Norwich got their attack together and were level on 53 minutes thanks to the brilliant Sara, who curled the ball home from close range after Sam McCallum’s effort hit a post with the Rovers defense at six and seven.
Rovers were soon back in front but were punished for their ambition when the Canaries sprung out on a quick counter-attack. The hosts were outnumbered as Norwich went ahead and were penalized when Connor Taylor brought down McLean in the box following a collision.
Andy Davies headed home and although Brentford loanee Cox got a hand to Idah’s penalty it was not enough to stop the ball curling over the line to give Norwich the lead in the 59th minute.
Rovers held on but Long brilliantly denied Martin’s equalizer as League One’s dream of a first visit to Anfield since 1992 faded. McLean sealed the win in the 87th minute with a long-range effort to calm Norwich’s nerves. PA Media
The home support inspired them to halve the deficit and gave a renewed energy to those in orange on the pitch. Blackpool made a triple change with 19 minutes remaining to freshen things up in the third. It was a wise decision when substitute Joseph headed a leveler to raise the celebration levels to delirium with 12 minutes of normal time to go.
Blackpool were the team in rebellion and Forest struggled to cope in the latter stages. Dembélé was sent off in the 99th minute of the game, rounding the goalkeeper before hitting a shot blocked by Orel Mangala to force an extra 30 minutes of frozen football which was delayed at half-time after the clubs medical staff summoned to. deal with a situation in the end.
Forest captain Ryan Yates helped settle the trophy slowly when he slotted into the six-yard box for Wood to provide the simplest of finishes to a complicated game and secure a trip to Bristol City.
