Nottingham Forest vs Watford match report: Odion Ighalo strikes late to see off Forest

Nottingham Forest 0 Watford 1

Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores celebrates at Forest (Getty)

Watford snatched a place in the fifth round after top scorer Odion Ighalo came off the bench to capitalise on Forest defender Kelvin Wilson’s mistake with two minutes remaining. Ighalo pounced for his 15th goal of the season against a Championship side who had defended admirably until that moment, despite eight changes from their last League line-up.

Goalkeeper Dorus de Vries had been a commanding figure behind a well-marshalled back four and pulled off the save of the day early in the second half, turning a shot from Watford’s new signing Nordin Amrabat round his left-hand post one-handed to deny the Moroccan a goal on his full debut. But he could do nothing to stop Ighalo’s close-range effort after Wilson’s mishit attempt to clear an Allan Nyom cross went straight to the Nigerian striker, who had been sent on by Watford head coach Quique Flores with 18 minutes left.

David Vaughan wrestles for possession (Getty)

Flores felt obliged to rotate his squad, mindful of matches against Chelsea and Tottenham in the next week, and made seven changes. “We respect the FA Cup but the priority has to be the Premier League for us,” Flores said. “But I felt the players who came in played well and we deserve to be in the next round.”

Dougie Freedman disagreed, having seen his side’s 13-match unbeaten run come to an end. “The goal was a cruel blow,” he said. “A player like Ighalo needs only half a chance but I would think they would be relieved to get the result.” Nonetheless, in a match of few chances, De Vries was the busier goalkeeper and though a mix-up between Nyom and Ikechi Anya gave Jamie Ward a chance he wasted before half-time, Watford’s Costel Pantilimon had a relatively quiet debut after his move from Sunderland.

Nottingham Forest: (4-1-4-1) De Vries; Lichaj, Hobbs, Wilson, Cohen; Vaughan; O Burke, Gardner, Grant (Oliveira, 83), Ward (Osborn, 68); Blackstock.

Watford: (4-2-3-1) Pantilimon; Nyom, Prodl, Cathcart, Ake; Guedioura, Watson; Anya (Jurado, 72), Deeney (Ighalo, 72), Abdi; Amrabat (Paredes, 86).

Referee: Neil Swarbrick.