Rangers flop ‘even out his depth v Blackpool’ as Premier League side narrowly avoid FA Cup shock
SCOTTISH boss Steve Evans looked to have suffered the biggest FA Cup third round shock when little Maidstone United knocked out Stevenage.
But Nottingham Forest were not far behind.
Nuno Espirito Santo's team - with ex-Rangers loanee Joe Worrall in the side and Ross Wilson at the helm as director of football - were almost sent crashing by League One Blackpool in low-key home draw.
They fought back from 2-0 to avoid a humiliation the fans were still bemused by the performance.
And the flak was certainly flying in the direction of returning defender Worrall.
Signed on loan from the City Ground in Steven Gerrard's first season, Worrall appeared 22 times for the Gers.
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But he didn't set the SPFL heather alight and returned to forge a decent career for himself and even inherit the captaincy at his hometown club.
Until recently that is.
Both Worrall and rumoured Rangers target Scott McKenna were jettisoned by ex-boss Steve Cooper and his recent reprieve to the first-team by the Portuguese boss hasn't gone to plan.
Fans were quick to pin-point the defender as their FA Cup hopes hung by a thread .
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Goals from Jordan Gabriel and Albie Morgan sent the Seasiders 2-0 up and though Nicolas Dominguez pulled one back before half-time, Forest fans had seen enough by the time Morgan Gibbs-White levelled to force a replay.
One simply tagged the flat display: "The Worrall effect."
Another warned: "Put Worrall and Yates together this is what you get."
A third wrote: "GK and poor old Worrall are even out there depth v Blackpool
A fourth tweeted: "I don't care if he ain't directly to blame but our defense falls apart with Worrall in the team. Absymal."
And there was even sarcastic pleasure from the result with another adding: "On the bright side we will never see Worrall play again, hopefully."
The defender wasn't the only one to fall in fans' estimations either.
One X.com account added: "Worrall will be everyone’s scapegoat but Montiel the World Cup winner absolutely woeful for both goals."
Another said: "I try to stick up for him at times but its so difficult when he doesn't even try to make an effort."
There was better news for another ex-Gers defender Kyle Bartley, whose West Brom side made it through safely with a convincing win over Aldershot.
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Ryan Fraser scored a double as Southampton saw off Walsall but Davie Moyes' West Ham were taken to a replay by Bristol City and a strike from Scotland under-21 TOmmy Conway.
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