“Nuno didn’t want it” – Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell drops Nottingham Forest claim after FA Cup classic
Gary Caldwell Nuno Espirito Santo
It took 150 minutes, but Nottingham Forest finally saw off Exeter City to make it into the FA Cup Fifth Round on Tuesday night.
Josh Magennis put the home side in front to get St James Park rocking before Ramón Sosa levelled things up after a quarter of an hour.
Forest then took the lead through a neat turn and finish from Taiwo Awoniyi with eight minutes to go until half-time, and it looked like the bigger boys would go on and dominate the game.
But Magennis popped up again to make it 2-2 five minutes after the break and a certified cup classic was unfolding.
Exeter City v Nottingham Forest FA Cup
“17 games” – Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell is right to raise Nottingham Forest fear
Both sides had chances to win it with Jota Silva coming closest as he rattled the upright at the death, while Joe Whitworth was a busy man in the City net all night.
But the Grecians had chances, as well as Pat Jones, Jay Bird and Ilmari Niskanen all spurned opportunities to write their names into history.
Grecians debutant Ed Turns was shown a straight red card for a lunge on Morgan Gibbs-White late on in normal time and Awoniyi was later taken off on a stretcher with a broken nose to add to the drama and the injury time.
St James Park Exeter City
It was action packed from start to finish and those in attendance got their money’s worth with three hours of entertainment for about 20 quid.
But it could have been s different with both having the chances to win it in regulation time.
City boss Gary Caldwell revealed that he went for it late on despite only having 10 men – and that he thought his opposite number Nuno Espírito Santo did as well.
Both managers wanted to avoid extra time – a facet that’s new to the earlier rounds of the FA Cup this year, with replays being scrapped in favour of games being decided on the night.
“I thought it was a heroic effort, it feels like we’ve been playing for about three days!” Caldwell told Exeter’s media team after the final whistle.
“With the gameplay with 11 men, I thought that worked, we bought in to it, we gave up position to a team that wants to play counter-attack.
“I thought we frustrated them. The disappointing thing was the two goals. I thought they were soft goals from our point of view and we could have been better in those actions.
“I didn’t feel like they carved us open, second half I thought we played even better with that game plan. They got more frustrated, they played more passes and it’s not a game they normally play.”
It was a smart tactical performance from Caldwell, who has come under fire from some sections of the Grecian faithful of late following a string of poor performances in the league.
Caldwell: Neither side wanted extra time
Nuno Espirito Santo Nottingham Forest
While both sets of players and managers clearly wanted to win on the night, the threat of extra time was one both bosses were keen to avoid with the league taking priority for both as City look to turn around their poor form and Forest continue to pull up trees in the top flight.
“The sending off obviously has a huge impact on the game,” Caldwell continued. “But, again, we dig in. The finishers came on, we really gambled the game in the last 10 minutes.
“I didn’t want extra time, I’m pretty sure Nuno didn’t want extra time and both teams had chances. We had two brilliant chances at that moment with Jay Bird and Pat Jones. On another night one of them might go in.”
Both sides now have to rest up their aching bodies and attention turns to the weekend.
Tuesday’s hosts face a big relegation battle against Cambridge United in League One while Forest continue their Champions League charge away at Fulham.
