The backdrop was much the same as it always has been down the decades here, on this precious weekend in the football year.
Thousands of fans trooping hopefully over the little railway bridge, through the remnants of snow and past the Butty Man’s hut, to see if there just might be an upset. Another scalp to add to Arsenal, Newcastle, West Ham and, just three years ago when Wrexham were still a National League team, Coventry City.
The notion of a giant-killing had, strictly speaking gone, nearly five years after Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took control, taking Wrexham within touching distance of the Premier League. Just 13 places separated them from opponents fighting to hold the territory that the North Wales club now seek.
But the euphoria brought by this night felt just the same. A club who were struggling to contend with Maidenhead and Eastleigh three seasons back drove fast and hard at Forest, displaying in the process of a famous victory why there is fervent belief in that fourth promotion, here.
Nathan Broadhead, the summer acquisition from Ipswich sparkled and got an assist. George Dobson, who drove last season’s promotion, bullied Forest’s midfield and had a hand in two goals.
It took the arrival of Callum Hudson-Odoi to drag back Forest, who were 3-1 behind with 15 minutes to play. His two goals, including a volley at the death which took the game to extra time and ultimately penalties.
Wrexham caused an FA Cup upset as they knocked Nottingham Forest out on penalties
Keeper Arthur Okonkwo was the hero as he saved Omari Hutchinson’s decisive spot kick
It brought an end to a wild cup tie and sparked incredible scenes inside the Racecourse Ground
But the dream was not over. Two fine saves by Wrexham keeper Arthur Okonkwo sealed victory in the shoot-out, with Omari Hutchinson missing the decisive kick to send the roof off this place.
It had been a febrile night from the start. Wrexham’s first tilt at Premier League opposition under this ownership, in surrounds which are as modest as ever. Reynolds and McElhenney arriving through the front door – sensing an episode of Hollywood gold. Forest’s stars stepping with some trepidation into the tight little corridors around the back.
Some of the Wrexham derring-do down the years have come against formidable odds and against the balance of those games. No-one seems to remember Arsenal’s utter dominance of the game on this field, 34 winters ago, because of the Mickey Thomas and Steve Watkins goal in the mud which sent the reigning champions packing.
But this was different. Forest had been the inferiors long before Wrexham seized control in the space of four enervating minutes towards the end of the first half.
Their neat, angular exchanges around the left fringe of Wrexham’s area were anaemic and ultimately meaningless.
On paper, James McAtee should have been the outstanding player. It was on Third Round weekend last year that he scored a hat-trick in Manchester City’s demolition of Salford. On the pitch, he was invisible. Douglas Luiz’s contribution was equally weak. He handled the only ball he managed to get into the net.
Wrexham were the side with the energy and the understanding, delivering a sense of what they would have to offer if they were to make that journey from non-league to Premier League inside four years.
They bided their time, winning challenges, headers and looking to break from the midfield which they saturated, before seizing the tie in a brutal fashion.
Ryan Reynolds agonisingly watched on from the stands for what was an FA Cup classic
Ollie Rathbone had put the Welsh side 2-0 ahead shortly after Liberato Cacace’s opener
Wrexham were in dreamland at 3-1 up but the Premier League side fought back in fine fashion
George Dobson snapped at Hutchison, forcing the ball from him and into the feet of Liberato Cacace, the New Zealander signed from Empoli this summer, who curled the ball beyond Matz Sels’s right outstretched hand from 25 yards out.
The shock of that strike was still registering when Broadhead, one of Wrexham’s outstanding players during a four-game Christmas winning run, ran at Forest to create space for Oliver Rathbone, who took the ball further, found fortune as the ball bounced off Morato back into his path, and curled in a second.
The tie should have been sealed by half-time with an immediate third when Sam Smith broke from the half-way and reached the penalty area, but Sels saved his strike with his legs.
Wrexham’s supremacy came despite manager Phil Parkinson’s decision to give two of his most significant players, midfielder Matty James and defender Max Cleworth, the night off.
Forest manager Sean Dyche, who had made eight changes from the side who beat West Ham this week, left the field to a chorus of derision at half time and was forced to introduce some big guns, Morgan Gibbs-White and Neco Williams, in three changes at half time.
There was a greater Forest threat. A whipped Luiz free-kick was pushed over the bar by Okonkwo and Igor Jesus roses to send Nicolo Savona’s cross in off the post despite Callum Doyle’s desperate efforts to clear it.
Broadhead continued to show that he was more than up to Forest’s level, chopping the ball from his right foot to left, to force another good save from Sels and Dobson set Wrexham on their way again.
His sweeping 30-yard from the right picked out Dom Hyam, who stooped to head in.
But Hudson-Odoi’s arrival, with 20 minutes of normal time to play, was pivotal.
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice having come off the bench to take the tie to extra-time
It was a testing night for Sean Dyche, who had made several changes for the cup clash
He brought Forest back, taking a ball played to him from Hutchinson and firing low on the turn through a crowded penalty area. It was his brilliant volley which drew the sides level on 89 minutes. He continued to dominate extra time, skewing a shot narrowly wide as Wrexham tired.
Forest carried optimism into the shoot-out, having won them against Exeter City, Ipswich and Brighton on the way to last season’s semi-final. James McClean missed his kick but Okonkwo defined the night.
The chaotic final stages had carried echoes of the crazy Fourth Round tie here against Championship side Sheffield United four years ago – a 3-3 draw in days when there were FA Cup replays.
That afternoon felt like a fight against the odds. But this night felt like a statement of intent. A declaration, in the defeat of Premier League opposition, of where Wrexham believe they can be.
