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NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY
11 February, 1990

Pearce free kick sinks Coventry

On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 1990 Stuart Pearce scores a powerful free kick as Forest beat Coventry City in a League Cup semi-final.

Iconic match memories

Great goal
Stuart Pearce, former Forest player and manager.
Stuart Pearce, former Forest player and manager. Image: Austin Osuide / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Stuart Pearce produced one of his trademark free kicks as Forest beat Coventry City 2–1 in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final at the City Ground.

Pearce and Nigel Clough scored the Forest goals, giving Brian Clough’s side a narrow advantage to take into the return match. Pearce’s strike was the memorable moment: a left-footed set-piece driven with the kind of power that made him one of English football’s most feared dead-ball specialists.

Stuart Pearce, former Forest player and manager.
Stuart Pearce, former Forest player and manager. Image: Austin Osuide / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The important goal came in a semi-final, with Forest trying to move closer to another Wembley appearance under Clough. It added to Pearce’s reputation as a defender who could change matches at the other end of the pitch.

Forest drew the second leg 0–0 at Coventry to progress 2–1 on aggregate. The run ended with another League Cup triumph, as Forest beat Oldham Athletic 1–0 in the final at Wembley. Pearce’s free kick remains one of the sharpest images from that route to the trophy.

Pearce Free Kick

Sources

The Guardian; Transfermarkt; Nottingham Forest official channels

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Notts County 0–2 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 3–0 Blackburn
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Vitória SC 1–1 Nottingham Forest
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Portimonense 1–2 Nottingham Forest Sporting CP 4–1 Nottingham Forest
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Udinese 1–0 Nottingham Forest Barcelona 1–0 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 2–1 Bayer Leverkusen
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Nottingham Forest 2–0 Stade Brestois 29
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Nottingham Forest 0–1 Leeds
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Nottingham Forest 0–2 Leeds
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Liverpool 2–2 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 0–0 Tottenham
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Aston Villa 1–2 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 0–1 Coventry
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Crystal Palace 14:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 16:30 Arsenal
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Ipswich 20:00 Nottingham Forest
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Brentford 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 17:30 Manchester City
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Bournemouth 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 20:00 Chelsea
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Hull City 20:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brighton
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Sunderland 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Everton
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Manchester United 16:30 Nottingham Forest
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Newcastle 19:30 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Fulham
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Nottingham Forest 19:30 Hull City
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Manchester City 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Bournemouth
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Chelsea 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brentford
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Fulham 20:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Manchester United
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Everton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 20:00 Newcastle
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Tottenham 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Leeds 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Liverpool
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Sunderland
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Brighton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Crystal Palace
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Arsenal 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Ipswich
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Coventry 16:00 Nottingham Forest
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On this day in …
1990
Pearce free kick sinks Coventry

Stuart Pearce produced one of his trademark free kicks as Forest beat Coventry City 2–1 in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final…

Iconic match memories
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