Jack Lester made Paul Hart pay for dispensing with his services last summer on
a day when the Nottingham Forest boss was again left tearing his hair out at his
side's frontline failure.
The Sheffield United striker returned to the City Ground to pile on the agony
for Hart and his former Forest team-mates by scoring one of the goals to fire
the Blades - one of last season's beaten semi-finalists - into Monday's FA Cup
fifth round draw.
Hart must be rueing the day he let Lester go - and for nothing - for while the
28-year-old has now scored 11 goals in 22 appearances for United, Forest have
failed to find the net in six of their last seven matches.
A catalogue of chances went begging either side of Lester's 33rd-minute
penalty, before Forest were left to regret their paucity in front of goal with
Chris Morgan and Wayne Allison adding to the tale of woe with goals in the
closing 11 minutes.
Lester's departure from Forest and subsequent arrival at Bramall Lane has been
a significant factor in the contrasting fortunes of these two teams since last
season's epic play-off semi-final which United won 5-4 on aggregate.
While Forest are one place and one point off the first division relegation
zone, United are riding high in third and again pushing for promotion.
It is now one win in their last 14 matches for Forest - that an FA Cup
third-round victory over West Brom - and Hart must be wondering just when his
side will end their slump.
Forest certainly merited at least a replay but confidence is clearly lacking
in attack, allowing United and former Notts County manager Neil Warnock to
exploit it to the full.
Andy Reid, the subject of a failed £2.5million bid from Spurs in this current
transfer window, was at the heart of the early chances.
Reid first fired an 18-yard left-foot half-volley directly into the midriff of
Paddy Kenny when well placed before then teeing up Matthieu Louis-Jean, only for
a free header from eight yards to flash past the right-hand post.
After Marlon King was then inches away from toe-poking home a low Reid cross,
it was Louis-Jean who brought down Michael Tonge in the 33rd minute, allowing
Lester to rifle home the spot kick into the top left-hand corner.
Forest should have been on level terms three minutes before the break, with
King setting up Gareth Taylor, but despite a clear view of goal, the ball sliced
off the striker's right boot.
Lester had a chance to kill off the game soon after the restart but
inexplicably nudged a soft four-yard shot into the grateful arms of keeper
Darren Ward after the ball had pinballed around the area.
Forest again took control following that but continued to waste chances,
although it took a superb full-stretch save from Kenny in the 50th minute to
keep out Gareth Williams' crisp, low, 20-yard drive.
Danny Sonner then fired into the side-netting soon after with the goal gaping,
before Kenny again kept his side's nose in front by superbly pawing away a
rising Sonner drive bound for the top corner.
From the ensuing corner the Forest fans were again left shaking their heads
after Taylor contrived to head narrowly over after being left unmarked from six
yards.
A dejected-looking Forest were then hit late on, with Morgan striking a
spectacular scissor-kick after captain Rob Page had nodded on a Tonge corner in
the 79th minute.
Tonge was again the supplier in the 90th minute with an inch-perfect cross for
Allison to head home the final nail in Forest's coffin.
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