Forest earn Cup replay with Spurs

Tottenham 1 Nottingham Forest 1

Nottingham Forest’s 19-year-old goalkeeper Chris Doyle dropped a major clanger but then kept his new side in the FA Cup with a string of excellent saves to frustrate Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Doyle, on-loan from Birmingham and making only his second senior appearance for any club, gifted Jermain Defoe Tottenham’s opener on the stroke of half-time when he inexplicably dropped the England striker’s free-kick into his own net.

But Gareth Taylor hauled Forest level after 56 minutes and Doyle, having produced a magnificent save to deny Simon Davies in the first half, continued to make amends with point-blank saves from Defoe and then Mido.

The tie now heads to a replay at the City Ground on Wednesday, March 2 as the FA Cup continues to be a pleasant distraction from the hard grind of Forest’s day-to-day battle to preserve their status as a Championship club.

Gary Megson’s side are deep in relegation trouble, nine points away from safety and a far cry from the halcyon days of the late Brian Clough and the club’s glorious trails through Europe. Megson, having sold Michael Dawson and Andy Reid to Tottenham in January, has had to scrabble around for players.

Doyle, whose only other senior appearance came in the LDV Vans Trophy while on loan at Chester, joined Forest from Birmingham and was thrust straight into the first team in place of the suspended Paul Gerrard.

After Ron Burgess had been remembered with a minute’s silence, Doyle was introduced to the frenzy of FA Cup football.

Michael Carrick shot high and wide after linking well with Simon Davies, Kanoute scuffed a low shot straight at the keeper and then Reto Ziegler unleashed a fierce drive straight at Melville.

Doyle was put under pressure by his own defenders’ indecision but rushed out to deny Davies and then Defoe.

Forest wasted two prime chances when Rogers, having wrong-footed Kelly, lifted his shot over Robinson and also the bar. Commons, running at Spurs from half-way, skipped around Kelly but drove his low shot straight at Robinson.

Forest survived two free-kicks on the edge of their own box but, when Andy Melville was penalised for holding back Defoe, their stubborn resistance finally cracked in a moment that will forever haunt young Doyle.

He got his hands to Defoe’s 45th minute free-kick but then inexplicably dropped the ball over his head and turned in horror to watch it land over the line.

The Tottenham supporters, with memories of their controversial defeat to Manchester United still clear, taunted him with chants of “Are you Roy Carroll in disguise?”.

And how Doyle must have wished for Carroll’s good fortune. At Old Trafford the United keeper dropped Pedro Mendes’ speculative effort into his own net but scooped it out before the assistant referee had the chance to give what would have been the winning goal.

But there will be no arguments over the needs for television replays today. The linesman was in a perfect position to give Defoe the goal and Tottenham a fortunate lead.

Melville was booked for his protests as he walked down the tunnel and any decision that went in Forest’s favour after the restart was jeered by the visiting supporters.

But 11 minutes into the second half, Doyle will have been the most relieved man inside White Hart Lane when Taylor nodded the ball past Robinson and finished from two yards to bring Forest level.

With 25 minutes remaining, Jol introduced Robbie Keane and Mido and Tottenham immediately looked more dangerous but Doyle was the epitome of composure as he controlled a creaking Forest defence.

Mido tried to hit one on the turn from six yards but could only direct it straight to Doyle.

Forest could have stolen it at the death with Daryll Powell and Commons both missing chances, but in the end it was the visiting supporters who celebrated like they had won the match.