Nottingham Forest 1-2 Leeds United August 25th 2007 Attendance: 25,237
The memory match this week may of only been three years ago, but it was the third game of the season when Leeds ‘United’, to turn around the 15-point penalty they had received before a ball was kicked in anger.
Leeds had gone into their first season in their history in League One with a 15 point penalty and were looking ominously at falling even further down the league.
Dennis Wise, Gus Poyet, their players and the Leeds United fans, united as one and started the season in fantastic fashion as they set about clearing their point`s penalty.
Leeds had already taken six points from their opening two games to take the penalty into single figures and they travelled to Nottingham for a Saturday lunchtime kick off full of confidence.
Forest had drawn their opening two games but were still amongst the favourites for promotion at the end of the season.
On a red hot afternoon the home side had enjoyed the early exchanges when Leeds broke to snatch the lead.
In the 17th minute,Jermaine Beckford and Tresor Kandol, who were to form a formidable partnership in the opening few month`s of the season linked to put the whites one up.
Kandol and Beckford linked up in the middle of the park, Beckford`s slide rule pass played in Kandol who shot across keeper Phil Smith and the ball came off the far post and into the back of the net.
Leeds enjoyed a decent spell after this up to half time and both Beckford and Kandol missed great chances to double the lead.
David Prutton also had a tremendous shot saved by Smith as Leeds went in at half time one up.
Forest started the second half on the front foot and were soon back on level terms.
Kris Commons saw his in swinging cross come through a crowded penalty area and elude everyone and find its way into the back of Casper Ankergren`s net.
The home side looked the more likely side to clinch the three points with James Perch seeing a shot just go wide of the post.
Kris Commons probably had the best chance to put Forest ahead when Nathan Tyson picked him out, free inside eight yards, with Ankergren on the floor Rui Marques somehow kept him out.
In the final minute, Tyson again caused Leeds problems down the right, this time he picked out Felix Bastian whose swivel and shot just went wide of the far post.
With time running out, Seb Carole ran hard at the Forest defence, his shot come-cross found Jermaine Beckford at the far post who slid in to fire into the roof of the net and keep up Leeds perfect start to the season.
Leeds went on to win their first seven league games and unbelieveably led the table for a few hours over the Christmas period.
Both Dennis Wise and Gus Poyet had left the club by January and Leeds hopes faded, eventually finishing in the play off places.
After all they had done during the season it was to end in heartache when they lost the final to Doncaster Rovers 1-0 at Wembley.
On the other hand, Forest lost only three of their next twenty-one league games to climb into the top two.
By the end of March, they also looked like having to settle for a play off place when they trailed second placed Carlisle United by eleven points after a very poor run of results.
A tremendous end to the season saw them win six of their final seven games and pip Doncaster to the final automatic place on the final day of the season.
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