Nottingham Forest announced their return to the Premier League – after an absence spanning over 20 years – with victory over Huddersfield Town in the Championship Play-off Final.
A spectacular 43rd-minute own-goal from Levi Colwill proved to be the difference in a gritty encounter under the Wembley arch.
Forest were at the summit of English football under the legendary Brian Clough. However, the club had been outside of the top-flight since 1999. The stakes could not have been higher for the Midlands-based club.
Manager Steve Cooper cruelly lost at this stage last season when he was managing Swansea City. Two consecutive Wembley heartbreaks would have been beyond harsh.
Under former boss Chris Hughton, the Reds looked like they might slide into the third tier of English football – losing six of their first seven matches this season and sitting at the bottom of the Championship. Their turnaround has been truly remarkable.
By contrast, Huddersfield enjoyed a two-season spell in the Premier League between 2017 and 2019. Still, expectations were not high under Carlos Corberan; they finished 20th last season. But Corberan – a former understudy to Marcelo Bielsa – took them to an incredible third-placed finish this time around.
To lose out on promotion in this fashion after coming so close is as devastating as it gets for a football club. So close yet so far.
Story of the match
Corberan welcomed Sorba Thomas into the eleven that beat Luton Town in the play-offs along with Naby Sarr; Jon Russell and Duane Holmes dropped to the bench.
In the other dugout, Forest made one change to the team that oversaw Sheffield United, with Keinan Davis coming in for Sam Surridge.
Understandably, it was a tentative start from both teams but Ryan Yates had two half-chances to break the deadlock: glancing wide from a 12th-minute James Garner free-kick before lashing over from the edge of the box eight minutes later.
Spectators had to wait until the 34th minute before a goalkeeper was worked as Thomas stung the palms of Brice Samba. The mercurial talent left Joe Worrall for dead but his cross-come-shot was easily parried aside.
Three minutes later, Danny Ward had the best opening of the match but his scuffed effort was blocked by Worrall. Credit had to go to Thomas for an ingenious low corner that caught Forest off guard; the unmarked Ward – being Town’s top-scorer – should have done better.
You have to take chances in games of this magnitude and, with no better demonstration of that football cliche, Forest soon took the lead.
Garner’s hopeful punt into the box was met emphatically by Colwill and – unfortunately for the Chelsea loanee – he kneed the ball into the top corner of his own net from little more than eight-yards out. Heartbreak for him and the travelling supporters in blue and white but elation for the red half of Wembley.
Lee Nicholls, having not been forced into a save, would have been frustrated by the scoreline. But Garner kept him on his toes with a dipping 25-yard drive at the start of the second-half.
It was an early sign that Terriers looked more energised after the break and Jonathan Hogg ought to have done better with a 55th-minute header as he ghosted in at the near post and connected with Thomas' corner.
Both teams made changes but the introduction of Jordan Rhodes on 67 minutes was the one that caught the eye the most. However, it was other players in blue and white who looked more likely to burst the Forest bubble.
Harry Toffolo went down in the box over the outstretched leg of Jack Colback. On his final game as a referee, eagle-eyed Jon Moss booked Toffolo for diving; he was absolutely spot on.
Shortly after, however, Moss' decision to ignore Max Lowe's clumsy penalty-box challenge on Lewis O'Brien certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons. It looked like a penalty all day long but the footballing overlords seemed reluctant to upset the unfolding narrative.
An injured Samba had to make way for Ethan Horvath between the sticks for the Reds but Cooper's men sat deep and maintained their resilience. They hadn't kept a clean sheet in five matches but they weren't intending to make that six.
O'Brien did go close in added-time but his bending shot was always curling just wide of the far post, and Forest held out. Jubilant supporters roared as their club confirmed its long awaited return to the land of the footballing giants.