Nottingham Forest 1-0 Burnley (Women's FA Cup Round Four) *aet
Not only my first women's match of the season, my first trip to the City Ground in over a year which is pretty bad for a Forest fan who's bouncing over the brilliance of the men's team right now.
Forest women aren't doing bad themselves, top of the FA Women's National League North they are unbeaten so far but they did draw with Burnley in September, the Clarets are third in the same league and going well, tonight will be tough one to call.
In the last round it was anything but tough, Forest best Long Itchington 19-0 whilst Burnley saw off Spennymoor 12-0, the winner will take on Newcastle United who pipped both Burnley in second and Forest in third to the title last season to secure promotion to the Championship.
Only five minutes down the road, I can leave with an hour to kick off and drive down the Melton Road, parking up on Musters Road where it's free after 6pm, the beauty of the women's game being played at the City Ground is that parking is much easier when the men are in town, just one stand open tonight, so I walk past Trent Bridge Cricket Ground and the world famous Trent Bridge Inn, down Pavilion Rad and into the stadium car park where fans are queuing up at the Peter Taylor Main Stand turnstile.
The Venue
A place called home, I've been coming here since the 1980's and it's a venue I truly love, situated in a part of town that thrives sport and culture, beside the Trent and across the way from a couple of other sporting homes of note where there's shops and bars and restaurants close by.
The City Ground has had a bit of a makeover in recent years, the owner of Forest, Evangelos Marinakis has spent millions, not just on the playing side, but in the background and on the venue too, new signs and scoreboards, everything is red, even redder than when I was last here.
The turnstiles are the same though, the Main Stand turnstiles have always been in the right hand corner of the car park, these days they have a scanner inside but are still 'manned' by an operator as opposed to those self check ins many grounds now have.
Inside the venue, the Peter Taylor Stand itself, is the oldest of the lot, a couple of posts in view of the playing surface, it's said to be replaced next year, but talk of that has been going for a while, if so you'll lose what is a grotty, but classy old English stand, built in the sixties the roof is low down so where I am at the back of the stand it can be a little claustrophobic, but tonight at least, it's keeping the chill out up here.
The Game
I've had a steak and ale pie and a cup of tea to warm up, there's a few fans dotted around me but most of the youngsters are in the rows near the bottom, making all the noise, action is underway and as usual in the women's game it's much slower than the men's game, Forest and Burnley both have a bit of possession without really knowing what to do with it, the Reds look best when getting it out wide left, Burnley look to attack through the centre but everything is mostly short, the first half is far from a classic, and I'm already starting to think 'this might go the distance'.
Forest are the better team, just, but the best chance of the half goes to Burnley when Walker beats the offside trap but couldn't beat Batty with just the keeper to beat.
The second half is very much the same, the home team having more of the ball, without really creating anything, Burnley break with one opportunity, Logan this time sent through as Batty comes to the rescue again.
As time goes on i'm getting colder and more frustrated with the lack of opportunity, a fella behind me has had plus three goals in his bet, he's lost the will to live as the stop start second half stutters with substitutions and goalkeepers going down to feign injury.
The Score
Extra time it is, inevitable really, but these two teams are very evenly matched, both defensively very good, both neat in midfield, both offering minimal confidence in attack, which is unusual considering Forest have scored 47 league goals in 11 games this season and Burnley won their last match v Bradford 11-0.
But the last half hour is unusually more open, it feels there's a bit of space opening up and alas a chance for Forest as they enter the opposition penalty area.
Locked still at half time they push with persistence in the second period and after Bridget Galloway heads their best opportunity of the night against the bar, Charlie Wellings slots home the rebound and a winner with just 11 minutes remaining which finally kicks some life into the action.
By now there's some folk who have already left, they'll be long gone as they hear the news of Forest's winner, but the Reds edge out their rivals and in the end celebrate a hard fought win, they'll be no respite either as they travel to Newcastle to face their fifth round tie this Sunday.
The Stars
Forest will be indebted to their brilliant goalkeeper Emily Batty who's two saves were vital on the night, but I was really impressed with central defender Katie Longhurst who hobbled off late on having gave her all. She of good stature was brilliantly composed on the ball and read the game well.
Another impressing was Millie Chandarana who did well on the wing, Freya Thomas also putting in a good shift whilst Nat Johnson did well at left back when she came on.
For Burnley, I had hoped for a little more from them, Grace Palmer was neat in midfield, picking the ball up deep a lot of the good play went through her and Heidi Logan, defensively they stuck to their guns to ensure former Leicester goalkeeper Kirstie Levell didn't have to do much, but in the end they fell short at a critical stage of the game.
The Verdict
Forest have had some near misses and now is the time that Carly Davies' side should finally gain promotion to the second tier of women's football. They lead their league by a point over Wolves but are yet to lose and will be favourites to finally make the step up, but first they'll have an opportunity for a big scalp in the cup, Newcastle however will be their toughest test yet this season.
Burnley aren't themselves out of the title race, four points behind Forest with a game in hand, they have a lot to be proud of in the way they play, in their recruitment and from their performance at the City Ground, and will certainly have a telling factor on who eventually takes the title in what is a three way split, currently in Forest's favour.
The Teams
Nottingham Forest: Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Katie Longhurst (Jessica Hennessy 108), Amy Sims (Natalie Johnson 63), Melissa Johnson, Charlie Wellings, Hollie Olding, Mollie Green, Freya Thomas, Millie Chandrana (Hollie Manders 94), Katie Dungate (Bridget Galloway 83)
Burnley: Kirstie Levell, Emma Siddall (Charley Docherty 97), Georgia Marshall, Heidi Logan, Claudia Walker (Reanna Blades 81), Grace Palmer, Rhema Lord-Mears (Laura Elford 69), Amellia Hazard (Isabella Reidford 59), Naomi Hartley, Tilly Wilkes, Kelly (Anna Grey 69)
7:00pm Kick Off. Wednesday 8th January 2025, City Ground, Nottingham (att 1,000 est).
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