City Ground Nottingham Forest Out

Pontin's Reserve League Final 2007/8

NFFC Reserves 2 - 4 MCFC Reserves

After City's involvements in multiple competitions last season at reserve and youth level; the club had run out of time to play this fixture in its normal time slot and so it was instead part of a pre-season agenda. City rode their luck to win yet another piece of silverware with goals from captain Ben Mee, Robbie Mak or an own goal, Karl Moore and Abdi Ibrahim. Adam Newbold scored in the first half for Forest from the penalty spot and a fine strike from Mark Byrne was ultimately not enough for them to defend their title and prevent City lifting the cup for the first time.

The opening minutes was very much either side testing and probing each other's strengths and weaknesses but it was City that opened their account first when they won their first corner in the eighth minute and Forest could not get the ball out of their half and with sustained pressure by City who won another corner that Vladimir Weiss fired in that Ben Mee firmly headed past Dale Roberts in the Forest goal.

Ben certainly seemed to let his adrenaline get the better of him a minute later as a rash challenge nearly resulted in an immediate equalizer when James Reid struck a fine twenty five yard free kick into the top corner of the goal against the crossbar that had it been slightly lower would have certainly been a goal as it beat Gregory Hartley in its flight towards the goal.

Most of the chances were going Forest's way as they piled on the pressure to gain the equalizer as they dominated the midfield play and pushed City's defence on the back foot. Twice Hartley was forced into a fine save with Reid being involved in one with a Brendan Moloney shot and then a long run down the left by fullback Joseph Heath resulted in his cross taking a wicked deflection that Hartley was just able to claw away as it dipped under the bar.

With just under ten minutes of the first half remaining Forest had their chance to draw level when Andrew Tutte managed to unfairly catch at least one Forest player as they surged into the left hand side of the box. Newbold was the player entrusted to step up to convert the penalty as he confidently smashed the ball into the right corner of the net.

City nearly regained the lead with a minute to go before the end of the half with a fine move on the break with Weiss slipping the ball out wide to Kieran Trippier who delivered a pin point slide rule pass for Mak to run onto and his first time shot just went wide of the post.

City started the second half better by closing the Forest midfield far more. But it was from a free kick that caused a lot of contention as Trippier floated the ball to the far post; Mee headed the ball towards the penalty spot but defender Tom Sharpe got a touch and Robbie Mak ran in and whether or not he got a touch on the ball as it went past Roberts in the Forest goal I do not know but the referee's assistant did immediately raise his flag for offside. The referee Mr J Waugh ran over to consult his assistant and after doing so allowed the goal to stand; obviously to the annoyance of the Forest players and fans.

Two minutes later a quick break on the left hand side by Mak resulted in Roberts rushing off his line and Mak beating him but he was thwarted when Sharpe was able to get back in time to clear the shot of the line; but only to Tutte, who's first time shot went just agonisingly wide.

As the game drew into the final twenty minutes Forest missed a glorious chance to draw level again when substitute Ryan Whitehurst did well down the left and pulled the ball back from the by-line to Reid who somehow drew his shot wide of the far post.

Again a fast move on the break saw City take a strangle hold on the game when Mak played a protracted one two with Ibrahim who found Moore out on the left who in turn ran into the box to cross to the far post; but saw the cross take a wicked deflection as it looped into the far side netting of the goal and over Roberts to make it three one to City.

With five minutes remaining a good move down the right for Forest involving Whitehurst resulted in the ball being in open space and the crowd baying for Forest to shoot and Byrne running onto the ball and firlmy placing the ball into the right corner of the goal from twenty five yards.

Forest's tails were up to gain the all important equalizer and send the game into a penalty decider; but with a minute into the two minutes of stoppage time and Forest pushing forward they lost possession and it was three players against two and City with substitutes Ian Daly and James Poole played in Ibrahim how skirted the Forest defence outside the area before releasing a rasping shot into the far corner of the net to clinch the Pontin's title after finishing as the best placed runner's up and being towards the bottom of the table in the early part of the season.

It was left to the five hundred plus crowd to applaud both teams as they had both played their part in a fine display of reserve football as they went up to collect their medals and City's captain Ben Mee was first to step forward to rise aloft what I must say is a magnificently large shiny trophy to add to their FA youth cup triumph.



Forest: Roberts(GK), Tait, Heath, Moloney(Capt.), Mitchell, Sharpe, Newbold(Whitehurst 65), Thornhill, Sinclair, Byrne, Reid(Staples 87).

Subs: Redmond(GK), Hook, Diagne.


City: Hartley(GK), Trippier, Morris, Boyata, Mee(Capt.), Tutte, Weiss(Poole 75), Tsiaklis(Ibrahim 64), Mak(Daly 86), Ball, Moore.

Subs: Clegg(GK), Nimley-Tchuimeni.


Att: 556.