When the three minutes went up and I saw the outrage on the Forest lads’ faces…

The Mag

·24 Februari 2025

When the three minutes went up and I saw the outrage on the Forest lads’ faces…

I have often sent in instant Newcastle United fan reaction after a game to The Mag.

However, after Sunday’s match against Nottingham Forest, I had difficulty writing down anything after what I had just watched.

Video OneFootball

Never seen a game like it.

I asked my Nottingham Forest supporting mate Haddock to offer his thoughts, but he declined, whilst all my teenage son could grunt was “Murphy’s rubbish we need to get rid of him.”

Having watched Newcastle’s two previous successes this season over Notts Forest in a bar in Vauxhall, Haddock wanted to return to the venue of their last victory against NUFC, the 3-1 Chris Wood hat-trick on Boxing Day 2023. Like every football supporter he is superstitious.

Haddock is expecting a Notts victory and is proudly wearing his lucky Forest scarf and matching socks. No back up again this time for him, until a lone Forest supporter appears and settles in our part of the bar ready to pass on his football knowledge at every opportunity, after noting some good football rivalry and banter taking place.

The game bursts into life with the Forest goal and my daft lad goes into another rant about how bad Murphy is. I have to check him, as I think Jacob Murphy is a good player, and important to us.

The Notts lads are jubilant and expecting another victory, shouting and laughing at each phase of play.

However, in eleven minutes of play and four goals, the game is turned on it’s head.

How did that happen?

The reds are shell shocked and absolutely incredulous that we got that penalty.

The two Lewis boys are in competition for man of the match at this point.

Murphy scores a goal with his hip to shush Chuks’ negativity.

Half-time arrives and I am confident that we will get more, as Nuno plays a counter attacking style and is now three goals down. They need to come out and try and get back into the game and I expect us to come out second half and comfortably win with a decent margin.

How wrong.

We contrive to mess up play into their hands and at this point the Forest lads fancy themselves. Four one becomes four two.

Comfortable, still got a two goal cushion no problem.

Then on ninety minutes it is 4-3. Are my mate’s lucky socks going to win the day?

He seems to think so.

Then the ref gives only three minutes additional time. Me and the lad cheer this like we had scored a goal.

Three minutes, wow! When was the last time you saw that?

The Forest lads love Ryan Yates and think he should have started the game. He embarrasses himself with his protests after Anthony Gordon was fouled in our penalty area, Yates is rightly booked. Notts luck has run out.

It was a strange game but we got it done, three points is what counts.

After the game I got a text from a colleague who is a Newcastle supporter, who asks why does this feel like a defeat?

It didn’t feel like a defeat to me when the three minutes went up and I saw the outrage on the Forest lads’ faces.

Football is great – win, lose, or draw. But it is even better when you win.

Newcastle 4 Nottingham Forest 3 – Sunday 23 February 2025 2pm

Newcastle United:

Miley 23, Murphy 25, Isak 33 pen, 34

Forest:

Hudson-Odoi 6, Milenkovic 63, Yates 90

Possession was Newcastle 57% Forest 43%

Total shots were Newcastle 13 Forest 17

Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Forest 5