Penalty pain for Blades as Cooper’s men go through
James Nursey
NOTTINGHAM FOREST keeper Brice Samba was the hero as he pulled off three penalty shoot-out saves to book his side’s place in the ChampionshIp play-off final.
Samba denied Oliver Norwood, Conor Hourihane and Morgan Gibbs-White from the spot after extra-time had ended with the two sides tied 3-3 on aggregate.
Forest can seal a dream return to the top flight if they beat Huddersfield atWembley on May 29.
Steve Cooper named the same team and same subs from Saturday’s 2-1 win at Bramall Lane. United made two changes with Rhys
Norrington-Davies and George Baldock coming in. The Blades started brighter as skipper John Egan powered a header over in the 10th minute from Jack Robinson’s long throw.
The visitors went even closer in the 13th minute when GibbsWhite’s superb ball with the outside of his foot picked out strike partner Iliman Ndiaye. But Samba was off his line smartly to superbly block Ndiaye’s shot using his outstretched right-hand. Forest took the lead in the 19th minute. The Reds played out from the back before Scott McKenna released Sam
Surridge with fine ball up the line.
Surridge then squared it first time and Brennan Johnson slid in to net with his right-foot high into the net.
Blades boss Paul Heckingtbottom, left, let his frustrations show before the break when he went in the book for slamming the ball into Djed Spence’s stomach as he took his time over a throw-in.
It sparked a huge melee with players from both sides wading in including injured Blades striker Oli McBurnie, whose foot is in a protective boot. Two minutes after the break when GibbsWhite scrambled in his 13th of the season from close-range from Sander Berge’s cross.
Then 15 minutes from time wing-back Baldock did superbly down the right to tee up John Fleck to prod in to level the tie overall.
Extra-time was tense as sub Joe Lolley and Johnson tested Blades keeper Wes Fodringham.While Berge went close for the visitors with a low right-foot shot from distance and Samba had to make another brilliant stop from Ndiaye.
FOREST (3-4-1-2): Samba 9; Worrall 7, Cook 6, McKenna 6; Spence 6, Yates 7, Garner 7 (Dias 119), Colback 7; Zinckernagel 7 (Lolley 70, 6); Johnson 7, Surridge 6 (Davis 75, 6) SHEFFIELD (3-4-3): Foderingham 7; Basham 6, Egan 6, Robinson Booked 6; Baldock 8 (Osborn 108), Norwood 6, Fleck 8 (Hourihane 109), NorringtonDavies 6; Berge 7, Gibbs-White 8, Ndiaye 6.