Seven years ago today saw the U’s take on Nottingham Forest in one of Layer Road’s more memorable contests
Seven years ago today saw some of the finest stoppage time drama in all of the years that Layer Road played host to the U’s, as the previously-mighty Nottingham Forest rolled into town in one of the bigger games of the 2005/06 promotion campaign.
With the U’s on a remarkable run of eleven wins in thirteen and opening the new year cemented in the Play-Off mix, Gary Megson brought his Forest side to north Essex looking to halt the momentum that Phil Parkinson’s side had built during the most memorable of seasons.
Played out in front of one of the larger crowds of the season with 5,767 packed into Layer Road, the game was a tense affair until Neil Danns finally broke the deadlock with just under twenty minutes to go.
Receiving the ball around twenty-five yards out, Danns stepped inside his man and curled a beauty into the top corner of the Layer Road end, sparking rapturous celebrations at yet another impending and famous victory.
It wasn’t until injury-time that the drama occurred, though, with Nathan Tyson breaking the offside trap in the 90ths minute, racing through and slotting home past Aidan Davison having been played onside by Sam Stockley.
Parky’s men weren’t to be denied though, and immediately from kick-off, with the Forest fans still cheering, a long ball forward saw Chris Iwelumo nod down inside the box for Mark Yeates to nip in first and lob the advancing Paul Gerrard; Layer Road erupted, 2-1 to the U’s.
It wasn’t to be the final action though, with Richard Garcia bursting down the left-flank moments later before rifling in a convincing third, epitomising the spirit of that never-say-die U’s side and concluding one of the most memorable matches I can recall.
It’s certainly a fitting way to remember Layer Road.
Other Notable Events Today:
2009 – The U’s crash out of the FA Cup at the hands of a 7-0 defeat away at Preston.
2011 – MK Dons pick up all three points in a League One fixture at stadium:MK.
2011 – Marc Tierney joins permanently from Shrewsbury for an undiscosed fee.
With thanks to Col U Day By Day for supplying these dates.
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