Premier League high-fliers Nottingham Forest struggled past 10-man Exeter City 4-2 on penalties to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup after being held 2-2 by their third tier opponents. Forest, who had started the night with a second-string side at St James Park, will now host top flight rivals Ipswich in the last 16 in March.
A much-changed Nottingham Forest needed penalties to beat 10-man Exeter City in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The two sides finished locked at 2-2 after extra time, but Forest ran out 4-2 winners on spot-kicks against the League One side.
Reece Cole had his effort saved, while Angus MacDonald hit the bar for the hosts before Neco Williams scored the decisive penalty for the visitors.
It means Forest, who made 10 changes to their team, avoided becoming the second Premier League side to be knocked out by a Devon club in the fourth round after Plymouth Argyle stunned Liverpool on Sunday.
It meant the end of an FA Cup dream for a gutsy Exeter outfit that had defended superbly, especially after debutant Ed Turns was sent off for an 87th-minute foul on substitute Morgan Gibbs-White.
Forest will host fellow Premier League side Ipswich Town in the fifth round at the start of next month.
