And so the Nottingham Forest Express rolls on. Seven wins on the bounce for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side and a place in the FA Cup fourth round thanks to a routine 2-0 victory over a Luton thanks to goals from Ryan Yates and Ramon Sosa.
But it’s the next stop on this incredible journey that’s got everyone here dreaming.
For by the time Sosa added Forest’s second, the thoughts of the City Ground had turned to Tuesday night and the visit of title rivals Liverpool. That’s right, title rivals.
‘You Scouse b******s, we’re coming for you,’ came the chants that cut through the frosty air over the banks of the River Trent.
In reality, Forest have much bigger fish to fry than this. They’re third in the Premier League and Mohamed Salah and co. come here in three days with chance for Forest to cut the gap to three points.
No wonder, then, that Nuno changed every single player from the side that beat Wolves to start the year. He’s got a title decider coming up, what do you expect? Got to keep the lads fresh.
Ryan Yates was among the scorers as Nottingham Forest earned a 2-0 victory over Luton
Yates headed the hosts in front in the closing stages of the first half in the FA Cup third round
Ramon Sosa sealed Forest’s place in the fourth round draw with their second after the hour
While Forest hope to keep writing this remarkable chapter, Luton on the other hand have just said goodbye to the man who delivered their own dream-filled adventure.
Rob Edwards, the manager who led this little club to the Premier League, who left his position this week with the team in danger of back-to-back relegations to League One after four defeats on the spin.
Make it five now. Luton never really stood a chance, mainly because Forest never let them.
Forest didn’t play like a team of 11 new faces, no bunch of strangers, as they moved the ball quickly with skipper Ryan Yates pulling the strings in the middle of the pitch.
It took a fine last-ditch block from Luton’s Mark McGuinness to deny the tricky Jota Silva from getting an early shot on goal.
Yates was superb. He rattled the bar from distance and it was only right that the local lad gave Forest the lead just before half-time, nodding in Jota Silva’s cross after a ghosting run into the box.
‘If Yatesy scores, we’re in the Trent,’ the home fans had been singing during the first half. It’ll be a brisk afternoon for those supporters who wished to remain true to their word.
If Forest are to maintain their title challenge, so much will depend on the fitness of star striker Chris Wood. The New Zealand front man has bagged 12 of Forest’s 29 league goals this season, eight more than any other team-mate.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have won seven on the bounce and have Liverpool in their sights
Nottingham Forest fans turned their attentions to Tuesday’s match with their title rivals
Paul Trollope, right, was in caretaker charge of Luton following the sacking of Rob Edwards
Should injury come his way, Forest will likely turn to Taiwo Awoniyi, who led the line here. He came off the bench late to score his side’s third at Wolves last time out but would have hoped for more here. He scuffed a good chance wide in the first half before firing another opportunity straight at the keeper at the start of the second.
Not that it mattered for anything beyond the striker’s confidence. Luton offered little, the closest they came was when Liam Walsh brought Forest keeper Carlos Miguel off his deckchair to tip over a dipping strike from 30 yards until the last 10 minutes when Carlton Morris headed straight at him from close range and should have done better.
But by this point the game, really, they knew the game was done. Forest had scored a second goal after Silva broke clear down the right and cross for Sosa to turn it in at the near post, had brought on their big guns and were pushing heavily for a third.
Nuno and the Forest faithful won’t begrudge themselves a place in the fourth round of a competition they have twice but not since 1959 but they know the biggest test lies in three days’ time.
Liverpool will offer a far, far, far greater test but, make no mistake, this is a club read to face that challenge head on.
