The Shaymen suffered late heartbreak after coming back from 3-1 down to level the game at 3-3, only for Forest to snatch a winner in the 97th minute with the final kick of the game.
Forest got the game underway, with both sides starting slowly as they looked to find their feet. The Shaymen created some early opportunities, getting in behind Forest’s back line, but unfortunately struggled to stay onside.
Forest took the lead in the 10th minute after a wonderful long ball found Fuad Smith, who flicked the ball forward into the path of Shakur Samuel. Samuel beat Deniche Hill one-on-one before firing past True Grant to give Forest the advantage.
Town looked to respond but struggled to find the final pass. They came close in the 20th minute after some brilliant one-touch football between Will Hugill and Tommy McDermott. Hugill worked his way through before laying the ball off to McDermott, whose effort sailed over the bar.
Despite going behind, the Shaymen began to take control, putting Forest under relentless pressure. However, they were unable to find an equaliser.
Town’s afternoon became more difficult in the 28th minute when True Grant gave away a penalty after a second attempt to collect the ball. Fuad Smith stepped up and beat Grant with a Panenka to double Forest’s lead.Hugill received a yellow card in the 31st minute following a late challenge, while Archie Whitehall was booked five minutes later for a late challenge on Owen Bray.
Town continued to push forward and came close again in the 38th minute. Dylan Crowe delivered a cross into the box which found McDermott, but his effort went over the bar.
The Shaymen pulled one back in the 43rd minute after Zak Gilsenan played a short corner to Crowe, who delivered towards the back post. The goalkeeper failed to make a clean connection with his punch, and the ball struck Spencer Sutton before bobbling into the back of the net.
Town started the second half on the front foot, with Bray making a strong run into Forest’s half before crossing towards Amari Morgan-Smith, but the forward couldn’t quite connect.
Forest restored their two-goal advantage in the 51st minute after Hill conceded another penalty with a late challenge. Jayden Powell calmly slotted the spot-kick past Grant.
Town made two changes in the 53rd minute, with Raheem Conte and David Kawa replacing McDermott and Hill.
Gilsenan and Sutton were both booked in the 61st and 63rd minutes respectively, while Town continued searching for a way back into the game.
Bray came close to creating another opportunity after beating two defenders before crossing towards Morgan-Smith, whose header went over the bar.
The Shaymen pulled another goal back in the 67th minute through a fantastic effort from Gilsenan. The winger stood over a corner and whipped the ball towards goal, curling it straight into the net.
Town completed their comeback in the 75th minute. Kawa sent a low-driven ball across the face of goal, beating three Forest defenders before finding Morgan-Smith, who calmly slotted home to make it 3-3.
Forest made further changes before Town introduced Will Flint and debutant Luke Brookes in the 83rd minute, replacing Bray and Mackenzie Maltby.
The Shaymen nearly found a winner when a long ball took an awkward bounce into the path of Brookes. The debutant drove towards goal, but Aaron Bott produced a good save to deny him.
Forest made a final substitution in stoppage time before snatching all three points in the 97th minute. Following a scramble inside the Shaymen’s box, Kanye Bradshaw collected the ball six yards from goal and slotted past Grant with the final kick of the game.
Despite a spirited comeback from 3-1 down, the Shaymen were left heartbroken as Forest took all three points in dramatic fashion.
Report by Charlie Wood
FC Halifax Town
33 Grant, 4 Hugill, 6 Maltby (8 Flint 83), 7 Bray (15 Brooks 83), 10 Gilsenan, 14 Morgan-Smith ©, 16 Hill (3 Conte 53), 20 Trusty, 23 Crowe, 24 McDermott (22 Kawa 53), 31 Houghton
Subs: 13 Mathers, 21 Wainman
Nottingham Forest
1 Bott, 2 Sinclair (17 Clarke 65), 3 Modupe (14 Broomes 79), 4 Sutton, 5 Newton (15 Sanneh 65 / 16 Nwosu 90), 6 Whitehall, 7 Samuels (19 Bradshaw 76), 8 McClure ©, 9 Powell, 10 Smith (18 Robinson 76), 11 Thompson
Subs: 12 Murray-Jones
Referee: Stuart Morland
Goals: Samuels 7, Smith (pen) 28, Sutton OG 43, Powell (Pen 51), Gilsenan 67, Morgan-Smith 76, Bradshaw 90 + 7
Yellow Cards: Hugill 31, Whitehall 36, Gilsenan 61, Sutton 63
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 236
FC Halifax Town 3 Nottingham Forest 4
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