Nottingham Forest 1, Oxford Utd 1

PAUL Powell hit a sensational equaliser at the City Ground last night to bring Oxford United an FA Cup third round replay against Nottingham Forest.

United were trailing to a first-half goal from Dougie Freedman, and were having to pull out all the stops to keep it at just 1-0.

But with 15 minutes remaining, substitute Powell collected a throw-in from Joey Beauchamp and struck a thumping left-footed drive past Dave Beasant from 22 yards.

For the 1,300 Oxford fans behind that goal, it was like history repeating itself. Just under four years ago, they had celebrated a dramatic late equaliser from Stuart Massey at the same end which also earned a 1-1 draw and a Manor Ground replay.

But the drama still had plenty to run. Four minutes later, after a great dribble by Beauchamp, one of the U's other substitutes, Jamie Cook, hit a post.

And no sooner had the ball been returned to the other end than Freedman was there facing an open goal. Astonishingly, though, he shinned his effort wide of a gaping goal from six yards. This was another of those epic cup performances from United. They worked so hard in the heavy rain and, although Forest put them under enormous pressure, few would deny they deserved to take the first division side back to Oxford.

Despite their team's indifferent form, the game was clearly capturing the imagination of some Nottingham Forest fans with repeated messages over the tannoy for one parent to leave his seat in the stand so that he could be reunited with his children!

With their supporters in great voice, singing "You're Going Down With The Swindon", United again looked solid from the start, their three-man centre of defence like an impenetrable barrier against most of the home attacks.

The first division side forced the first corner after eight minutes but United defended it well, and moments later when John fired in a speculative 20-yarder from the left edge of the area, Paul Lundin got down well to save with one hand.

Phil Whelan produced a superb interception when the ball looked like running towards Stern John just 15 yards out, but all of these were occasional moments rather any spell of concerted pressure. United's first two attempts at goal were not the best. Matt Murphy tried his luck from nearly 30 yards and it ended up in the second tier of the Trent End behind the goal. Derek Lilley then sent in a shot after some head tennis from Murphy, and this time it landed in the lower tier.

As the rain began to fall heavily, Forest started to click into gear and they were unlucky not to take the lead on 34 minutes.

Chris Bart-Williams drove in a shot left-footed from outside the area which Lundin beat away.

And seconds later, David Prutton cut in menacingly from the right and slammed a shot against the near post.

By now United seemed to be inviting pressure on themselves by defending so deeply and disaster struck in the 40th minute.

Mark Watson allowed Riccardo Scimeca's cross from the right to go over his head and Ross Weatherstone wasn't alert enough to the danger, letting in Freedman to bury a ten-yard shot past Lundin.

United were under the cosh at the start of the second half but Lundin kept them in it.

The Swedish keeper did well to hold on to a driven cross from Jim Brennan, and he reached up just underneath the crossbar to save a Freedman header.

A half-chance came the way of Beauchamp, the visitors' most threatening player, as he hit a dipping volley from 25 yards, but it flashed past Dave Beasant's goal.

A lot of Oxford's problems were coming down their right where Brennan was enjoying acres of space, and Mickey Lewis replaced Rob Folland with the more experienced Paul Powell and at the same time put Jamie Cook on for Steve Anthrobus.

And how the substitutes changed things! Lambert quits the Manor JAMIE Lambert has left Oxford United after failing to agree terms.

Chairman Firoz Kassam said last night: "We made him a very good offer and he turned it down. So he is no longer at the club."

United coach Mickey Lewis said: "It's disappointing to lose a player of his ability, but he hasn't been able to agree to the new contract offer made to him, it seems."

Story date: Saturday 11 December

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.