Nottingham Forest 3-1 Newcastle: Shocking performance. Shocking refereeing.

by Olly Hawkins · 29 August 2018, 22:12

This time last year we were dumped out the Carabao Cup by Forest at St James' Park, and they've got the better of ur once again this year - with three goals in extra time seeing us beaten 3-1.

We deserved nothing from the game based on our performance, but how we weren't awarded a penalty in extra time (whilst 2-1 down) is beyond me. You won't see a more clear penalty all season.

Murphy opened the scoring in the first few minutes, beating Fabian Schar to the cross after Kenedy was beaten too easily down the line.

It was an awful start and it didn't get much better over the next 90 minutes. We lacked quality, urgency and looked all at sea at the back whenever we were put under any pressure, but the main issue was how toothless we were in attack.

The 92nd minute arrived and we finally showed some quality. Rondon set himself when slipped in at the back post and fired a shot across goal in off the post. Very well taken (after a solid bit of hold up play) and his first goal in a black and white shirt, but we weren't back in the game for long.

Some hesitant defending and Darlow's inability to deal with the cross saw Matty Cash smash home to make it 2-1 in the 94th minute. Just a minute later and Perez latched onto Rondon's flick on, got there ahead of the goalkeeper and was barged over from behind - with Forest's Luke Steele getting nowhere near the ball.

https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/1034905581323276288

The ref waved it away and Forest went down the other end and made it 3-1. Game over and another early exit out of the cup.

We weren't good enough and didn't deserve to go through, but the fact of the matter is that we've been robbed of a blatant penalty - which would've almost certainly given us a chance to progress to the next round on penalties.

Kenedy was very poor. His touch was way off and he looked very under confident. Clark showed that he is NOT a left-back, looking very awkward all night. Atsu lacked urgency. Joselu's hold up play was fairly non existent, Darlow was highly unconvincing and Schar (despite showing ability on the ball) had a few iffy moments defensively.

On the plus side, Rondon has his first goal for the club (and he took it very well), I like the look of Fernandez, and Sterry and Longstaff didn't look out of place.

A horribly frustrating end to an even more frustrating game of football.

City away next..