Coleman to stick with senior squad

Chris Coleman relished another clash with super-rich west London neighbours Chelsea after steering Fulham into the last eight of the Carling Cup.

The Cottagers boss has always stressed the importance of the competition, with his sights set firmly on the UEFA Cup prize.

And after last night’s narrow escape against Nottingham Forest earned a fourth straight win, Coleman insisted: “We can beat anyone.

“All the big teams are left in there but we will be playing them in a one-off game. We will continue to field our strongest team because we want to go as far as we can. Bolton and Middlesbrough got to the final last year and that is what we aspire to.”

But Coleman admitted his side were fortunate to squeeze past plucky Championship strugglers Forest.

The Premiership side were four minutes from elimination after Marlon King’s 71st-minute goal for the home side.

But Tomas Radzinski pounced to coolly knock home the equaliser before Brian McBride and Luis Boa Morte could have clinched it for the visitors.

Instead it took them extra-time to take control against a Forest side in crisis, one off the bottom of the Championship table and with just two league wins to their credit.

Radzinski grabbed his second with a powerful rising shot past Forest keeper Paul Gerrard four minutes into the extra period.

Then substitute McBride swivelled in the box to poke the visitors further in front.

In a frantic ending, Forest hit back through Andy Reid and Gareth Taylor missed a golden chance to force penalties before Andy Cole wrapped things up with a delicious late lob.

Coleman admitted: “Forest were the better team over 90 minutes and we looked jaded and tired. We didn’t really come to life until Forest scored but, to be fair, we don’t know when we’re beaten these days.

“We showed great character in the end and we kept fighting and that is a good sign for us at the moment.”

From the start Forest had looked anything but a side teetering on the brink of third-level football.

They pressed forward with King and Andy Reid both having early chances against a side fresh from thumping Newcastle 4-1 on Saturday.

Former Forest keeper Mark Crossley was the busiest man in the first half as he tipped efforts from King and Reid over the bar.

Fulham got better after the break with Cole shooting straight at Gerrard and Mark Pembridge’s free-kick being tipped over the bar.

King forced the 71st-minute opener over the line before Radzinski’s late show spared Fulham’s blushes.

Forest boss Joe Kinnear once again failed to show at the scheduled post-match press conference.

Kinnear is feeling the heat after Forest’s poor start to the season and came in for more criticism this week over his decision to axe long-term coaches Ian Bowyer and Liam O’Kane.

Kinnear instead sent first-team coach Des Walker to praise his side’s attacking endeavour, despite low confidence levels in the camp.

Walker said: “We went out and gave a good account of ourselves and the only difference was that they took their chances.

“For most of the game we were the better team and when they score so late it is obviously very disappointing.

“But we can take heart from our performance. If we can take that spirit and drive into Saturday then there is no reason why we cannot get three points.”