Boss Chris Hughton pointed to the “perfect game” for the development of some of his young Nottingham Forest players.
The Reds progressed to the second round of the Carabao Cup with a 2-1 victory over Bradford City, but they didn’t have it all their own way at the City Ground.
A Joao Carvalho brace had given the hosts a commanding lead at half-time after a good first half, but the visitors cut the deficit just past the hour mark.
That buoyed the Bantams and they applied the pressure in the closing stages, but Forest came through to set up a home tie with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“I’m really delighted. For their development, it probably turned out to be the perfect game,” said Hughton.
“We were really good in the first half and got two good goals, then they pressed higher in the second half.
“We gave the ball away more in the second half, and that gives the opposition a lift. We conceded a poor goal. And then you’re looking at character.
“We were playing a well-drilled team, so you’re looking for different characteristics from the players - and particularly the young players. We had to stand up to it, and they did.
“For their development, what happened was probably the perfect type of game.
“It was a really big night for them, and a night they will remember.”
Hughton had rung the changes for his starting XI, with Alex Mighten the only survivor from Sunday’s opening league defeat at Coventry City.
It was a youthful line-up which included a number of debutants, as the likes of Fin Back, Riley Harbottle, Baba Fernandes and Ateef Konate all featured.
Asked if any of them have worked their way into his thinking for the Championship, Hughton said: “What helped the young lads is, because of our numbers and a difficult last few weeks, most of them have trained with us in pre-season.
“Some of the relationships with some of the senior ones who played, will have helped.
“But we still have to come down to a little bit of reality.
“We were playing against a really good side, but they are a side two divisions below us.
“It would be a tougher task against a team in the same division or higher than us.
“We have to have a bit of reality.
“I’m just pleased that on a nice stage, we were up for it.”
