Nottingham Forest player ratings as Reds knocked out of trophy on penalties

Latest Nottingham Forest news as Reds are knocked out of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy by Wigan Athletic

Following a scoreless draw after ninety minutes in the northwest, Nottingham Forest’s Bristol Street Motors Trophy campaign ended in a penalty shootout loss against Wigan Athletic.

The Reds had just won the league and cup back-to-back, and they had scored a ton of goals in both games going into the match. It was a winner-take-all between the two teams in their last EFL Trophy group stage match because they knew the victor would advance to the competition’s knockout stage.

With less than ten minutes remaining, Adam Berry nearly gave the visitors the lead. Latics keeper Tom Watson pushed it over after his strong shot stung his fingers.

However, in the first half, there were few clear-cut opportunities at either end of the field. The hosts’ first real chance came when Jack Thompson slipped, allowing Joe Hugill to sprint right through. Fin Back rushed to Forest’s aid to deal with the threat after Aaron Bott beat the Wigan man.

After the interval, there was no indication that the deadlock would be broken in what was turning out to be a close contest. Jack Perkins tried his luck following some excellent Reds play.

The Reds lost the shootout 3-0 as Jack Nadin, James Sinclair and Kyle McAdam could not score from the spot. Here’s how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players at the Brick Community Stadium.

Aaron Bott: Wasn’t really tested in the 90 minutes as Wigan failed to make their possession count. Confident and decisive whenever he needed to be, though. Rating: 7/10

Fin Back: Came to his team’s rescue in the first half when he showed terrific awareness and chipped in with a last-ditch clearance to thwart Hugill. Steady throughout. Seems like he could benefit from another loan. Rating: 8/10

Jack Thompson: Other than the early slip, the Reds as a defensive unit stood their ground against decent opposition. Excellent second-half tackle to thwart a Wigan attack epitomised his evening’s work. Rating: 8/10

Ben Hammond: An all-round solid performance from the Forest back line, even when the Latics really looked to apply the pressure late on. Gave very little away. Rating: 8/10

James Sinclair: Acquitted himself well in a tight affair. Composed and good with the ball, even though the Reds didn’t see too much of it. Shouldn’t be downhearted by his penalty being saved. Rating: 7.5/10

Ben Perry: The captain set an example for dedication and work ethic. held his own in a rather close match against the League One Latics. Score: 7.5 out of 10.

Jack Perkins: Displayed some deft touches and made some powerful tackles. contributed to holding the hosts at bay for the majority of the night. Score: 8 out of 10.

As he attempted to follow the dynamic Dion Rankine down Wigan’s right wing, Kyle McAdam will gain experience. a decent test and passed it with flying colors. The penalty was unfortunate. Score: 8 out of 10.

Adam Berry: It appeared that he was eager to put the Reds ahead right away with an outstanding performance. To tip it away, the keeper had to make a great save. Warren Joyce rearranged his load shortly after the restart. Score: 8 out of 10.

Jack Nadin: The child gave a vibrant performance. Always eager to participate in some of the Reds’ good moves. Unfortunately, his penalty was saved. Score: 8 out of 10.

Joe Gardner: It was generally difficult since Wigan was a tenacious opponent and had the most of the ball. worked hard but didn’t feel particularly happy at the top of the pitch. Score: 7 out of 10.

Subs

Sam Collins (for Berry, 48mins): Did well in the second half as Forest gave a positive account of themselves in a tough test. Got through a lot of work. Rating: 6/10

Archie Whitehall (for Perry, 74mins): Didn’t get too long to really make an impact. A good experience, though. Rating: 6/10

Subs not used: Griffiths, Cahill, Hanks, Brown, Blake.