Sunderland needed extra time to knock Nottingham Forest out of the Carling Cup tonight. First ever goals for SAFC from Phil Bardsley and David Healy were enough to see off Forest who were only five minutes from winning the game in normal time thanks to a second half Rob Earnshaw free kick.

After losing 3-0 at Luton in the Carling Cup last season Keano sent out a strong side. Gordon kept his place in goal behind a back four of Chimbonda, Nos, Collins and Bardsley. In midfield Malbranque, Reid, Whitehead and Diouf with Murphy and Cisse leading the line.

The lads started the better and Cisse had the first shot of the game with an audacious effort from the right flank. Though he struck it cleanly it fizzed high, wide and not very handsome. Danny Collins then glanced a header wide when he rose highest at the back stick from an Andy Reid cross.

Nos then tried to give Forest the run-a-round with one of his trademark Cruyff turns and then dribbling the ball 360. In doing so he surrendered comfortable possession being caught out by a slide tackle. Fortunately for us and Nos, Forest failed to capitalize.

Worryingly for us halfway through the first half Malbranque went off injured after a heavy challenge. Steed struggled on for about five minutes before being replaced by Liam Miller. Soon after we then went close when Djibril Cisse showed what he was all about by smashing the woodwork. A deft touch allowed him to burst through on goal and arrow a shot at the far corner only for the goalkeeper to push it onto the post.

Cisse then turned provider when he made a good run down the left flank but Murphy failed to connect cleanly with his powerful cross. Sunderland were causing problems for Forest with some good movement and Dean Whitehead found himself clean through on goal thanks to Liam Miller’s pass. However the Sunderland skipper was denied by the Forest keeper before blasting the rebound over. Just before the break we won a free kick on the edge of the area which Cisse struck well over the bar.

Keano made no changes at the break and within minutes Cisse was straight back in the thick of the action heading straight at the keeper from Reid’s cross. Forest had their best effort when Earnshaw was left unmarked on the box but he glanced the cross wide with his toe when in fact he probably would have been better going with his head.

However, Earnshaw soon made Sunderland pay for giving away a needless free kick on the edge of the area. His free kick from 20 yards curled round the wall past a helpless Craig Gordon. Keano reacted to the goal by giving David Healy his Sunderland debut in place of Daryl Murphy.

With twenty minutes to go Andy Reid had a great chance to equalise but he volleyed Diouf's cross into the side netting. We snatched a deserved equaliser from an unusual source with five minutes to go. Liam Miller blasted a volley from the edge of the area which was well saved by the Forest keeper, but Diouf smashed the rebound back across goal which Phil Bardsley turned into the bottom corner. Sunderland ended the ninety minutes the stronger of the sides but failed to create any clear chances. Grant Leadbitter went closest with a long range effort.

So we headed for another thirty minutes with Roy having to deliver his first ever extra time team talk. It must have been a good one as we took the lead early in extra time with a debut goal from David Healy. Grant Leadbitter forced a good save from the Forest keeper but Healy was on hand to tuck the rebound into the back of the net.

We controlled the rest of the first period of extra time with Andy Reid showing he’s a lot fitter than people give him credit for by getting through loads of work in the midfield. We had a scare in the second half of extra time when Forest hit the woodwork. The danger again came from an Earnshaw free kick but rather than shooting he crossed for Chambers who headed onto the top of the bar.

Sunderland managed to see out the game and seal Roy Keane’s first win in a cup competition as a manager. Right at the end of the game Cisse looked to be struggling really badly with an injury as he limped about the pitch. Fingers crossed for him and Malbranque for Sunday.

Final Score AET: Nottingham Forest 1 Sunderland 2

ALS Man of the Match: Andy Reid

Aiden Crowe

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