Head coach Steve Cooper saluted the City Ground crowd for helping to carry Nottingham Forest over the line in their play-offs semi-final.
The Reds booked their place at Wembley as they beat Sheffield United on penalties on a dramatic night on the banks of the Trent. And the victory came amid an electric atmosphere at the sold-out stadium.
Forest had gone into Tuesday night’s match 2-1 up from Saturday’s first leg at Bramall Lane, and they increased their aggregate advantage through Brennan Johnson in the 19th minute.
Read more: Forest boss reveals penalty shootout 'plan' as hero Brice Samba seals Wembley place
Read more: Riverside views and St Andrew's sadness mark out best and worst Forest away days
Sharp statement
Billy Sharp has spoken about the incident which marred the aftermath of Nottingham Forest’s penalty shootout victory over Sheffield United.
The Blades skipper, and former Reds striker, was left needing stitches after being “assaulted” amid the celebrations at the City Ground. Sharp was knocked to the ground as a large number of Forest fans ran on to the pitch after Steve Cooper’s side triumphed in the Championship play-offs semi-final.
Nottinghamshire Police have said a man has been arrested “after a footballer was assaulted on the pitch” at the end of Tuesday night’s game. And Sharp posted a message on social media on Wednesday morning.
He wrote on Twitter: “One mindless idiot ruined what was an unbelievable night of football.
Samba's saves
Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba has revealed that notes on Sheffield United penalty takers were "hidden in a towel" that helped inform the three saves made in the Championship play-off semi-final shootout.
Oliver Norwood, Conor Hourihane and Morgan Gibbs-White were all denied from the spot by the 28-year-old at the City Ground to send the Reds to Wembley. First, Samba dived at full stretch to the left and stuck out an outstretched arm to deny the first penalty of the night from Norwood.
Next, in perhaps the most impressive of the trio, the goalkeeper took the bold decision to stay centrally and stay strong to somehow tip Hourihane's firmly struck effort up onto the crossbar and back out towards the on-loan midfielder. Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye did both find a way to score by sending the 'keeper the wrong way, but another loanee, Gibbs-White, was also foiled after failing to fool Samba, who dived right again to keep out the low effort.
Pundit's verdict
Nottingham Forest were "battered" by Sheffield United and are "fortuitous" to reach the Championship play-off final.
Steve Cooper 's side took a 2-1 lead into the second leg of their semi-final tie at the City Ground on Tuesday night but started slowly and it could have been level on aggregate when slow defending meant Brice Samba had to produce a point blank save to deny Morgan Gibbs-White from close range. Six minutes later, Brennan Johnson increased the Reds' lead when Brennan Johnson instinctively lashed home Sam Surridge's pull-back. A fracas broke out when United boss Paul Heckingbottom forcefully pushed a ball into Djed Spence's midriff as tensions and emotions threatened to boil over just before half-time.
The Reds started the second half slowly and allowed United to threaten from a flurry of corners before Gibbs-White eventually made it 3-2 on aggregate with a reaction finish past Samba. John Fleck put the visitors ahead on the night and level on aggregate 15 minutes before full-time, and either side could find a winner in extra-time as they headed towards a shoot-out.
Samba gave himself hero status at Forest when he saved United's first two spot-kicks - from Oliver Norwood and Conor Hourihane - and he saved a third from Gibbs-White to send Forest into the play-off final. It was a far from convincing performance from Cooper's side and talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan felt Forest were "fortuitous" to reach Wembley.
