Hull City vs Nottingham Forest. The FA Cup Fourth Round.
MKM StadiumAttendance13,450.
Saturday 27 January 2018 19:28, UK
Jarrod Bowen scored one and set up another as Hull progressed to the FA Cup fifth round with a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest at the KCOM Stadium.
Forest had dumped holders Arsenal out in round three, but looked a shadow of that side as they put in a lacklustre display compared to their win at high-flying Wolves last weekend.
Hull made eight changes to the team that lost to Sunderland last week, but Bowen was one of those to keep his place and showed why he has been linked with several Premier League clubs in a classy display, grabbing his 12th goal of the season before assisting Nouha Dicko.
Apostolos Vellios struck two minutes from time but it was too little, too late for two-time winners Forest.
Mustapha Carayol sent an early 20-yard effort wide for Forest, while at the other end Jordan Smith had to be alert to turn a low Markus Henriksen free-kick behind.
The opening stages were largely disjointed, but two moments of quality in as many minutes from Bowen brought the contest to life.
First, the 21-year-old latched onto Smith's wayward clearance and hit an audacious first-time lob which left the keeper stranded but came back off the post.
Hull had scored in just two of their last eight games but Bowen gave the hosts the lead after 18 minutes when he drove into the box and his deflected effort went in off the woodwork.
Five minutes before the break Hull doubled their advantage, with Bowen again involved. The forward nodded Jackson Irvine's delivery back across goal and Dicko headed in off the post.
Forest should have pulled one back almost immediately when Carayol found himself unmarked eight yards out only to head wide, while at the other end Bowen played in Adama Diomande but he dallied and his tame shot was comfortably cleared.
Aitor Karanka made two substitutions at the break in a bid to find a way back into the contest but the home side remained in the ascendancy.
A cleverly disguised Bowen pass freed Dicko seven minutes after half-time but Smith parried his low effort away, while at the other end Danny Fox saw his free-kick come back off the post.
Michael Hector had to be alert to hack the ball clear after Hull keeper David Marshall spilled a Fox corner, while Hull should have put the game to bed when Joe Worrall carelessly gave the ball away and substitutes Kamil Grosicki and Will Keane linked up only for Smith to save the latter's effort.
Former Manchester United player Keane was making his first KCOM appearance in over a year following a serious injury but was denied again when Smith kept out his shot on the turn with his feet.
Marshall produced a fine reflex save to deny Worrall and Ben Brereton clipped the wrong side of the post from six yards out before Vellios converted a Matty Cash cross late on from close range to set up a tense finish.
Nigel Adkins (Hull): "We can't do it this season but next season I want us to be challenging at the top (of the Championship)," added Adkins, whose side currently lie 21st and are separated from the relegation zone by goal difference. That's five games unbeaten at home since I've been in charge. The players are all giving it a right good go - they are very passionate about what they do."
Aitor Karanka (Nottingham Forest): "We won last Saturday and we thought today that it was going to be easier. I told them during the week that it would be a hard game; I wanted to win the game to get to the next round. It is a day for us to learn that we need to improve our personality and our character on the pitch."
