Birtles 3 assists in Bristol win
On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 1979 Forest beat Bristol City 3–0 as Garry Birtles assists all three goals in a League Cup fourth-round replay.
Nottingham Forest kept their League Cup campaign moving with a 3–0 fourth-round replay win over Bristol City at the City Ground.
Garry Birtles was central to the night. He set up Martin O’Neill’s opener with a cross, then provided the cross for Viv Anderson to make it 2–0 with a left-footed finish. Birtles also supplied the pass for Tony Woodcock’s third goal.
Bristol City had forced a replay after the first meeting finished 1–1, but Forest made the second game decisive. The three-goal margin gave the tie a clear ending and sent Forest into the next round.
The win formed part of the run that took Forest to the 1980 League Cup final. That campaign ultimately ended in disappointment, with Wolves beating Forest 1–0 at Wembley, but the Bristol City replay was one of the steps that carried Clough’s side back to the final.
Sources
11v11; Transfermarkt; The City Ground; Football League Cup records
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