Clough’s Burton claim famous victory to stun his former club

Nigel Clough continued his love affair with the League Cup as his Burton Albion side reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their history and ended his former club Nottingham Forest’s hopes of recreating some of their glory days in the competition.

Forest were favourites to reach their first quarter-final for 25 years after knocking out Newcastle United and Stoke City but were stunned by three second-half goals.

Burton’s Liam Boyce missed a first-half penalty but they went two goals up inside the first 18 minutes of the second period as Scott Fraser saw one shot deflected off Saidy Janko past goalkeeper Luke Steele and then buried a second. Lewis Grabban pulled one back to raise Forest’s hopes of a fightback but a stunning volley by Jake Hesketh eight minutes from the end effectively sealed a famous win for the League One side.

Arvin Appiah, an England Under-17 striker making his senior Forest debut, scored a second for the visitors in stoppage time.

Clough, twice a League Cup winner as a player with Forest and a semi-finalist as a manager with Sheffield United, lost to Manchester United in a money-spinning thirdround away tie last season but wants a home quarter-final from Wednesday’s draw after seeing off Aston Villa, Burnley and now Forest at the Pirelli Stadium.

“It’s wonderful to have nights like this, especially after dropping out of the Championship,” he said. “We’re making up for it in the League Cup and though the chairman might think differently from a footballing point of view I’d want to be at home again.”

Forest manager Aitor Karanka said he was “embarrassed” by their performance. “Burton were more hungry than we were and I can’t explain that,” he said. “It was the chance for a first quarter-final for 25 years yet we did not look like we wanted it.” Burton Albion (4-5-1) Evtimov; Fox, Brayford, Mcfadzean, Akins; Hesketh (Sbarra 88), Allen, Quinn, Fraser (Buxton 85), Templeton (Sordell 70); Boyce. Subs Collins (g), Harness, Hodge, Wallace. Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1) Steele; Janko (Lolley 69), Hefele, Dawson, Osborn; Bridcutt (Appiah 84), Watson; Cash, Goncalves, Dias; Soudani (Grabban 56). Subs Pantilimon (g), Robinson, Yacob, Darikwa. Booked Dawson.

Referee John Brooks (Leicestershire).