CLOUGH HAS A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
Burton boss knocks out old club
BURTON 3 NOTTM FOREST 2
NIGEL CLoUGH enjoyed another famous Carabao Cup upset last night as Burton Albion beat his old club to reach the quarter-final for the first time.
Clough won the League Cup twice as a Nottingham Forest player, in 1989 and 1990 when his dad Brian was manager of the club.
The Burton manager, whose side have already knocked out Burnley and Aston Villa, said: ‘It was a brilliant bit of history for the club to get to the last 16 — now we’ve gone a step further to reach the last eight.
‘League one clubs aren’t expected to make it this far, we’re performing above expectations. This game was wonderful for us. Players and fans love giantkilling nights like this.
‘We could have been three up at half time. I told the players “Don’t regret it” and we didn’t, although I didn’t feel comfortable until the final whistle.’
Clough is now hoping for a crack at one of the big boys in tonight’s last- eight draw. He said: ‘I’m hoping for a home draw for the fans but we’ll make more money if we get one of the big boys away.’
Forest, 33 places ahead of their East Midlands hosts, made 10 changes to Saturday’s side for the 1-1 draw against Leeds United as they looked to reach the quarter-final for the first time since 1995.
They were second best against Burton.
Forest threatened first as defender Michael Dawson sent a free header well over the bar from a Gil Dias corner, before Diogo Goncalves flashed a rising drive over. But the rest of the first half belonged to Burton and they should have taken the lead in the 32nd minute when they were awarded a penalty after Liam Bridcutt impeded Jamie Allen. But Northern Ireland international Liam Boyce, who has scored seven goals this season, blasted his spot kick over the bar.
Burton eventually went ahead when Scott Fraser’s 52nd-minute shot took a heavy deflection off Saidy Janko to loop beyond Luke Steele.
Fraser made it 2-0 in the 64th minute when he took advantage of a ricochet in the box to neatly slot home with his left foot.
Six minutes later Dias put Lewis Grabban through to reduce the deficit.
Then Jake Hesketh’s stunning volley, from Fraser’s cross, sent the Burton fans delirious, only for 17-year-old Forest debutant Arvin Appiah to give his side hope at the death.
Burton managed to hold firm in the six minutes of time added on to reach the last eight and knock out the six-times finalists.
Forest boss Aitor Karanka said: ‘I am angry and embarrassed. I feel really bad because they were much stronger than us and they wanted every single ball more than us.’