Boss Steve Cooper says he held his Nottingham Forest players back at half-time against Sheffield United to avoid any further flashpoints.
Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom was booked in the first half for shoving the ball into Djed Spence’s midriff as the Reds defender prepared to take a throw-in, sparking a melee between both sets of players and staff. The hosts were 3-1 up on aggregate at the time, thanks to Brennan Johnson’s opener on the night.
But with a bit of needle developing, Cooper was keen to retain composure. He made sure his team delayed their walk down the tunnel at the break.
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“It was nothing really. The last thing we wanted was any red cards,” he said.
“We were 3-1 up on aggregate at the time, and if anybody had lost a bit of control… I’m not saying it would have happened, but we didn’t need to do that, because we were feeling we were going to win and the last thing we’d want is for anybody to be unavailable for the next game.”
He added: “It was an emotional night. I said to myself, ‘stay as calm as you can’, because you need to try to make the right decisions.
“I had a clear mind throughout the game. I just really wanted the players to get over the line. They work so hard and they are a brilliant set of lads.”
The tie finished all-square at 3-3 as the Blades won 2-1 on the night, to match Forest’s scoreline at Bramall Lane on Saturday. But the hosts triumphed 3-2 in the penalty shootout thanks to Brice Samba’s heroics.
