Wrexham reached the fourth round of the FA Cup by stunning Premier League Nottingham Forest on penalties after a six-goal thriller at the Racecourse Ground.
Arthur Okonkwo was the hero for Wrexham with penalty saves to deny Igor Jesus and Omari Hutchinson, giving the Championship side a 4-3 victory on spot-kicks after Josh Windass, Callum Doyle, George Thomason and Jay Rodriguez had converted from the spot.
In front of Hollywood owner Ryan Reynolds, Wrexham took control through first-half goals from Liberato Cacace and Oliver Rathbone.
Liberato Cacace scored Wrexham’s opening goal in a thrilling contest (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Reynolds was trading high fives and hugs as Phil Parkinson’s side looked to be crusing into the fourth round and it should have been three – and possibly contest over – when Sam Smith scampered through the Forest half unchecked but failed to beat Matz Sels’ outstretched leg.
Forest boss Sean Dyche made a triple substitution at half-time with Neco Williams, Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolas Dominguez sent on to salvage the situation and Jesus cut the deficit before Dominic Hyam’s diving header restored Wrexham’s two-goal advantage with 16 minutes remaining.
Ollie Rathbone put Wrexham into a 2-0 lead before half-time
Forest looked dead and buried but substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi swept home 60 seconds later to set up a grandstand finish at the Racecourse.
Hudson-Odoi took the tie into extra-time in fantastic fashion, taking a touch on his chest and lofting a perfect volley over Okonkwo, but Wrexham were not to be denied in the shootout as they claimed their first top-flight FA Cup scalp for 26 years.
Okonkwo: Really happy to come up with the saves
Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo to TNT Sports:
“Thankfully we have good analysis people to help us out and I looked at it before the game.
“Really happy to come up with the two saves and win the game.
“The manager spoke to us before the game and told us the history of the club and we’re able to beat teams way above us.”
On what was on the water bottle: “I can’t tell you that, it’s a secret!”
Parkinson: A rollercoaster game
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson to TNT Sports:
“It was a rollercoaster game. The late goal knocked the stuffing out of us a bit in the first period of extra-time.
“I said to the lads at the break ‘come on, we’ve come a long way here, let’s not give up now’. It was almost a little bit of an acceptance.
“Despite them making changes at half-time, I still felt we looked dangerous and always carried a threat. It’s a huge night and I’m pleased for these players to write their names into the history of the club in the FA Cup.
“The lads rallied themselves [for extra-time] and there were a lot of tired legs on both teams.
“Credit to both sides for putting on such a good game after such a busy Christmas schedule.”
Dyche: First-half performance unacceptable
Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche to TNT Sports:
“The first half was unacceptable. The players know and some individuals certainly know.
“They’ve got to look in the mirror on that side of things, but the players who came on in the second half, I thought they were a credit. We looked like a Premier League side.
“There were two brilliant goals from Callum… penalties are a lottery but we created enough chances to win the game, but we didn’t in the end.
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored a stunning equaliser to take the tie into extra-time as Forest came back from 3-1 down
“They all knock on your door and say ‘why aren’t I playing’ – well the evidence is quite honestly there for some, not for all.
“But that’s what football is. You’ve got to train and prepare right because when your time comes, you’ve got to be ready and there were too many not ready in the first half.
“I livened a few of the players up myself [at half-time] and from the second half on, we looked as we should do as a Premier League side.
“But you can’t give people a two-goal head start. And credit to them by the way, I’m not taking anything away from them. Fair play, but an absolutely unacceptable first half from our point of view.
“We have to make changes because of the game schedule, but footballers show their hand. They won’t be knocking on my door to say ‘why aren’t I playing’, that first-half group.”
When is the FA Cup fourth-round draw?
Wrexham will have all eyes on the FA Cup fourth-round draw when it takes place on Monday January 12.
The draw will be made at Anfield ahead of the last match in the third round between Liverpool and Barnsley.
It is due to start at around 6.30pm.