Jamie Ward earns Nottingham Forest a late win at Doncaster
Jamie Ward struck a dramatic injury-time winner as Nottingham Forest avoided an EFL Cup banana skin at League Two Doncaster Rovers by securing a 2-1 victory.
David Vaughan had given Forest an early lead, but Liam Mandeville's 69th-minute leveller looked to have prolonged the match for Rovers, before Northern Ireland winger Ward scored a breakaway goal at the death.
Forest, showing nine changes from their opening-day 4-3 win over Burton, took a 10th-minute lead when Ward's free-kick was cleared only to Vaughan, who hit a stunning a 20-yard half-volley past Marko Marosi.
It took Rovers half an hour to have a first sight of goal, with John Marquis blazing an effort well off target.
Just before the hour mark, Matt Mills nodded Chris Cohen's free-kick over, before Forest keeper Stephen Henderson flapped at a cross to nearly let in Andy Williams, but the striker's header did not have enough power and the visitors cleared.
Apostolos Vellios, making his debut for the Reds, then headed narrowly wide, before Henderson made an excellent low save from Marquis. From the resultant corner, though, a scramble ensued in the box before half-time sub Mandeville forced the ball over the line to equalise.
Forest broke Rovers' hearts in injury-time when they surged forward following a Doncaster attack, with Ward breaking into the area to send a low shot past Marosi into the bottom corner.
Source: PA
