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.
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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.
He said: "I would have imagined there would have been some people ready to eat their words last night when Sheffield United battered Nottingham Forest. United can think themselves to be very unlucky. If it wasn't for a very fortuitous save in the 118th-minute they would have won. Samba made himself big so fair to play him.
"If it wasn't the stupid naivety from Oliver Norwood, taking a penalty whilst waiting on the penalty spot for two minutes and probably decompressing himself to a point of paralysis ahead of the penalties then it could have been a different story.
"Steve Cooper has done a phenomenal job. In the context of what I said nine months ago, this was a man who had taken a team to the play-offs two times in a row, it was a reasonable observation. Watching the game last night I thought Forest were choking. They were battered by Sheffield United. How they didn't win that game is only for them to pontificate about."
Jordan went on to reflect back on a time as Crystal Palace owner where he experienced luck in the play-offs. He said: "I've said to some Forest fans today that what wins you play-offs is a bit of luck alongside skill. In 2004 we beat Sunderland 3-2 at the home leg at Selhurst Park, we battered them at the Stadium of Light but were 2-0 down and out.
"In the 94th-minute we got a corner. There was GBH on the goalkeeper, our centre-back scores a goal which 99 times in 100 would be ruled out for a foul on the goalkeeper. We got that luck and went on to win the play-offs.
"Forest got a huge slice of luck last night. Their team did not turn, they were man handled, out played and out fought by Sheffield United but managed to hold on. In the penalty shoot-out, the moment Oli Norwood went up for his penalty and stood for two minutes waiting for the goalkeepers to be briefed, waiting for Samba to get in goal I knew he would miss and the deck of cards would come down.
"The first penalty sets the tone because you galvanise the rest of the team and if you miss it spreads through the team."
