WE DESERVED TO WIN IT – COOPER
AN injury-time equaliser by Ryan Yates earned a point for Nottingham Forest at Sheffield United – but it was not enough for boss Steve Cooper.
Top scorer Billy Sharp put the home side ahead midway through the second half with his 13th goal of the season after Brennan Johnson had missed a penalty for Forest.
With the clock ticking down, Yates equalised when he clinically headed in James Garner’s corner.
Cooper said: “I thought we were excellent. I’m proud of the performance and disappointed we didn’t win. We should have won the game comfortably.
“You’re more than halfpleased we managed to get something out of the game at the end. It would have been criminal if we’d lost, the way that we played. We were by far the superior team.”
Forest had started on the front foot and Johnson had a shot on target inside the opening minute, which was beaten away by Wes Foderingham. From the corner, delivered by Garner, Keinan Davis headed just beyond the far post.
United responded and, following a quick counter-attack led by Morgan Gibbs-White, Sander Berge fired in a firm shot which was turned away by keeper Ethan Horvath, before Forest threatened again.
After John Egan gave the ball away, Davis set up Philip Zinckernagel, who found himself through on goal, but Foderingham made an important save from close range.
Foderingham was again United’s hero in the 33rd minute when Forest were awarded a penalty after Rhys
Norrington-Davies fouled Djed Spence inside the area. Johnson’s weak chipped effort to the centre of the goal was saved comfortably by Foderingham as the first half finished goalless.
Early in the second half, Johnson threatened to find a way through on the right and Egan was forced to make an important challenge on the edge of the area.
Steve Cook went desperately close to putting Forest ahead shortly before the hourmark when he met Garner’s corner with a header which thumped against the bar. The resulting loose ball saw United midfielder John Fleck make a surging run through the middle and Zinckernagel came to Forest’s rescue with a vital tackle to dispossess him.
There was a double substitution for the hosts midway through the second period with Seriki and Ollie Norwood replaced by Ben Osborn and Daniel Jebbison, and the changes had the desired result as Sharp put United ahead two minutes later.
Gibbs-White sent over a deep cross which Sharp met to beat Horvath with a far-post header. Forest made three changes in the closing stages as they chased an equaliser, but a point looked set to elude them as the game entered added time. However, there was still time for a twist in the tale as Yates salvaged a point.
Blades manager Paul Heckingbottom said: “It’s a kick in the teeth. It hurts, of course it does, but it’s a 1-1 draw.
“The timing of the goal means one team comes off feeling like they’ve won the FA Cup and the other that they’ve been relegated.”