Penalty heartbreak for Exeter City in FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest
Ten man Exeter took the game to extra time and then penalties at St James Park.
Last updated 11th Feb 2025
Exeter City's dreams of reaching the 5th round of the FA Cup are over after a penalty defeat to Nottingham Forest.
The Grecians - who sit 18th in League One - took an early lead though Josh Magennis in the fifth minute at St James Park.
Goals from Sosa and Awoniyi followed giving the visitors the lead before a second Magennis goal in the 50th minute took the score to 2-2.
A dramatic second half saw Exeter go down to 10 men after a red card for Ed Turns for a high challenge late on in a game which went to extra time.
A penalty shootout saw Nottingham Forest beat the home side 4-2.
It means Forest will now face fellow Premier League side Ipswich in the fifth round.
Before the game, both Exeter's boss and the players had called on the side to have the belief that they could secure a win against the top flight side.
Earlier this week, Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo had previously said the prospect of an FA Cup trip to League One Exeter had left him "worried".
Premier League leaders Liverpool came a fourth-round cropper at Plymouth on Sunday, and Tuesday night saw it was Forest's turn to head to Devon for a David and Goliath cup contest.
Forest, third in the Premier League, are now the highest ranked team in the competition with Liverpool and Arsenal both out.
"I am worried. It is always that point," Nuno told reporters ahead of Tuesday's tie at St James Park.
"The FA Cup allows teams from different leagues to have a chance to compete against each other.
"I am looking forward to the aspect that I think it's a good moment for us as a squad to take advantage of this game by rewarding the players who are working so hard, to give them minutes.
"At the same time, we will bring everybody that we want to bring to the last games of the competition.
"We have already had a chat about the game. What I think is important in these games is to try to find simplicity.
"Solve the problems in a simple way, because our quality and our talent will show - I hope."