Bowen hits the bullseye for Tigers as Forest go crashing out
HULL CITY 2
Bowen (18), Dicko (40)
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1
Vellios (88)
Jarrod Bowen scored one and set-up another as Hull progressed to the fifth round with a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest at the KCOM Stadium.
Forest dumped holders Arsenal out in round three, but were a shadow of that side as they put in a lacklustre display following manager Aitor Karanka’s decision to make 10 changes from the side which won at Wolves last time out.
The hosts made eight changes of their own, but Bowen kept his place and showed why he has been linked with several topflight clubs in a classy display, grabbing his 12th goal of the season before assisting Nouha Dicko.
Apostolos Vellios struck two minutes from time, but it was too little, too late for Forest.
Mustapha Carayol sent an early 20-yard effort wide for Forest, while at the other end Jordan Smith had to be alert to turn a Markus Henriksen free-kick behind.
The opening stages were largely disjointed – hardly a surprise given the wholesale changes made to both sides – but two moments of quality in as many minutes from Bowen brought the contest to life.
First, the 21-year-old latched on to Smith’s wayward clearance and hit an audacious firsttime lob which left the keeper stranded, but came back off the face of a post. Hull had scored in just two of their last eight games, but Bowen gave the hosts the lead after 18 minutes when he drove into the box and his deflected effort went in off the woodwork.
Five minutes before the break Hull doubled their advantage, with Bowen again involved. The forward nodded Jackson Irvine’s delivery back across goal and Dicko headed in off the post.
Forest should have pulled one back almost immediately when Carayol found himself unmarked eight yards out only to head wide, while at the other end Bowen
played in Adama Diomande, but he dallied and his tame shot was well cleared.
Karanka made two substitutions at the break in a bid to find a way back into the contest, but the home side remained in the ascendancy.
A cleverly disguised Bowen pass freed Dicko seven minutes after halftime, but Smith parried his low effort away, while at the other end Danny Fox saw his free-kick come back off the post.
Michael Hector had to be alert to hack the ball clear after Hull keeper David Marshall spilled a Fox corner, while Hull should have put the game to bed when Joe Worrall carelessly gave the ball away and substitutes Kamil Grosicki and Will Keane linked up only for Smith to save the latter’s effort.
Former Manchester United player Keane was making his first KCOM appearance in over a year following a serious injury, but was denied again when Smith kept out his shot on the turn with his feet.
Marshall produced a fine reflex save to deny Worrall and Ben Brereton clipped the wrong side of the post from six yards out before Vellios converted a Matty Cash cross late on from close range to set up a tense finish.