Match report

Exeter City Draws 2-2 with Nottingham Forest in FA Cup Thriller

Exeter City
Exeter City
2–2
PEN
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest
Feb 11, 2025

In a highly entertaining match, Exeter City managed to hold Nottingham Forest to a 2–2 draw in the FA Cup. Despite going down to ten men later in the game, Exeter's resilience shone through with key goals from J. Magennis and timely defensive efforts.

Key Facts

  • • J. Magennis scored two goals for Exeter City at 5' and 50'
  • • R. Sosa (15') and T. Awoniyi (37') scored for Nottingham Forest
  • • Exeter's Ed Turns was sent off with a red card in the 87th minute
  • • N. Williams of Nottingham Forest scored from a penalty shootout

Lineups

Exeter City

Formation: 5-4-1

Starting XI

  • 1 J. Whitworth (G)
  • 14 I. Niskanen (D)
  • 2 J. McMillan (D)
  • 25 A. MacDonald (D)
  • 20 E. Turns (D)
  • 18 V. Harper (D)
  • 7 D. Mitchell (M)
  • 8 E. Francis (M)
  • 21 R. Trevitt (M)
  • 47 J. Richards (M)
  • 27 J. Magennis (F)

Substitutes

  • 17 C. Watts
  • 30 T. Yogane
  • 12 R. Cole
  • 16 P. Jones
  • 6 R. Woods
  • 31 J. Bird
  • 10 J. Aitchison
  • 37 S. MacDonald
  • 3 B. Purrington

Nottingham Forest

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Starting XI

  • 33 Carlos Miguel (G)
  • 17 E. da Silva Moreira (D)
  • 30 W. Boly (D)
  • 15 H. Toffolo (D)
  • 19 Álex Moreno (D)
  • 22 R. Yates (M)
  • 6 I. Sangaré (M)
  • 20 Jota Silva (M)
  • 28 Danilo (M)
  • 24 R. Sosa (M)
  • 9 T. Awoniyi (F)

Substitutes

  • 16 N. Domínguez
  • 26 M. Sels
  • 8 E. Anderson
  • 10 M. Gibbs-White
  • 7 N. Williams
  • 11 C. Wood
  • 4 Morato
  • 44 Z. Abbott
  • 21 A. Elanga

Timeline

  1. Exeter City
    5' Exeter City Goal · Normal Goal
    J. Magennis
  2. Nottingham Forest
    15' Nottingham Forest Goal · Normal Goal
    R. Sosa · Assist: I. Sangare
  3. Nottingham Forest
    37' Nottingham Forest Goal · Normal Goal
    T. Awoniyi · Assist: I. Sangare
  4. Exeter City
    38' Exeter City Card · Yellow Card
    J. McMillan

    Foul

  5. Exeter City
    50' Exeter City Goal · Normal Goal
    J. Magennis
  6. Nottingham Forest
    59' Nottingham Forest subst · Substitution 1
    Off: Danilo · On: N. Dominguez
  7. Nottingham Forest
    59' Nottingham Forest subst · Substitution 2
    Off: Carlos Miguel · On: Matz Sels
  8. Exeter City
    71' Exeter City subst · Substitution 1
    Off: Ryan Trevitt · On: Caleb Watts
  9. Nottingham Forest
    71' Nottingham Forest subst · Substitution 3
    Off: R. Yates · On: E. Anderson
  10. Nottingham Forest
    72' Nottingham Forest subst · Substitution 4
    Off: I. Sangare · On: Morgan Gibbs-White
  11. Exeter City
    74' Exeter City subst · Substitution 2
    Off: D. Mitchell · On: T. Yogane
  12. Exeter City
    83' Exeter City subst · Substitution 3
    Off: J. Richards · On: R. Cole
  13. Exeter City
    83' Exeter City subst · Substitution 4
    Off: Vincent Harper · On: P. Jones
  14. Exeter City
    83' Exeter City subst · Substitution 5
    Off: E. Francis · On: R. Woods
  15. Exeter City
    87' Exeter City Card · Red Card
    Ed Turns

    Foul

  16. Nottingham Forest
    90'+13 Nottingham Forest subst · Substitution 6
    Off: T. Awoniyi · On: C. Wood
  17. Nottingham Forest
    90' Nottingham Forest subst · Substitution 5
    Off: Álex Moreno · On: N. Williams
  18. Nottingham Forest
    105'+1 Nottingham Forest Card · Yellow Card
    N. Williams

    Foul

  19. Exeter City
    115' Exeter City Card · Yellow Card
    T. Yogane

    Time wasting

  20. Exeter City
    120'+5 Exeter City Goal · Missed Penalty
    A. MacDonald

    Penalty Shootout

  21. Nottingham Forest
    120'+8 Nottingham Forest Goal · Penalty
    N. Williams

    Penalty Shootout

Match Stats

Stat Exeter City Nottingham Forest
Fouls 10 23
Pass Accuracy 49% 84%
Offsides 1 1
Red Cards 1 0
Total Shots 12 31
Corners 8 10
Total Passes 225 788
Yellow Cards 2 1
Blocked Shots 2 7
Shots on Target 7 12
xG — —
Shots off Target 3 12
Possession 23% 77%
Goals Prevented — —
Accurate Passes 111 663
Shots Inside Box 9 20
Saves 9 5
Shots Outside Box 3 11

Key Match Notes

  • ▸ J. Magennis opened scoring for Exeter City in just the fifth minute, giving them an early lead.
  • ▸ Nottingham Forest equalized and took the lead through goals by R. Sosa and T. Awoniyi within the first half-hour of play.
  • ▸ Exeter City's comeback began with J. Magennis' second goal at 50', evening the score before a red card for Ed Turns left them to defend their draw.