Substitute Luke Steele is 10-man Forest’s hero in penalty shootout

Posted Wednesday, August 15, 2018 by PA

Substitute Luke Steele was 10-man Nottingham Forest’s unlikely hero as the debutant goalkeeper saved two spot-kicks as the Reds beat Bury 10-9 on penalties in the Carabao Cup.

Matty Cash’s injury-time strike denied Bury a famous first round victory at the City Ground as the game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes.

Defender Eoghan O’Connell missed the crucial kick after his second minute goal looked to have secured victory for the Shakers.

Forest struck deep into stoppage time as Cash drilled home and it was left to Steele, on for Jordan Smith who was dismissed after 33 minutes, to first save from Tom Miller and then deny O’Connell to send the hosts through.

Forest changed all 11 players from their 1-0 victory over Reading, handing debuts to Ryan Yates, Michael Hefele and Sam Byram, and unfamiliarity within their ranks cost them an early goal as O’Connell rose to head home Jay O’Shea’s pinpoint free-kick from wide on the left.

Disaster struck again for Forest just past the half hour as goalkeeper Smith was shown a straight red card for a cynical foul on Dom Telford just outside the Reds box, with Steele coming on for his debut, with Hillal Soudani sacrificed.

Hefele cracked a 30-yard effort narrowly over early in the second half and Daryl Murphy headed over.

Forest had their first second half shot on target in the 88th minute, with Joe Murphy pushing out sub Ben Osborn’s fierce free-kick, but then deep into injury time Cash drove home an equaliser from inside the six yard box, before Hefele almost snatched a late winner only to see his header hit a post.

And then it was left to Steele to secure an undeserved victory and leave League Two Bury heartbroken.