TO commemorate the 100th anniversary of their FA Cup final triumph over Newcastle United, Bradford City will wear a replica of the kit they wore on that fateful day at Old Trafford in every cup competition this season.

And they will have to dust it off at least once more in the Carling Cup, after they ended the hopes of Nottingham Forest – four time winners of this competition – of repeating their own historic successes of the past.

What made it worse for Billy Davies was that he saw his already stretched squad forced to endure the rigours of extra-time, after an already familiar profligacy in front of goal denied them a comfortable success.

PICTURE GALLERY: Bradford City 2 Nottingham Forest 1

This was a match Forest should have won at a canter, given the chances they created.

Instead they will go into Sunday's visit of Leeds United with not only their confidence, but their energy levels drained.

With Chris Gunter, Robert Earnshaw (both Wales), Radi Majewski (Poland), Ryan Bertrand (England under-21) and Brendan Moloney (Ireland under-21) on international duty and Kelvin Wilson injured, it meant six changes to the side that was defeated at Burnley.

Forest reverted back to the 4-2-3-1 formation that they favoured through pre-season and by the end of the first half, Forest were firmly in control.

Former manager Colin Calderwood used to liken Matt Thornhill to Paul Scholes, given his habit of arriving in the box with perfect timing.

And the midfielder did exactly that in the 12th minute, but without applying the same ruthless finishing touch of the Manchester United man, volleying just the wrong side of the post, following neat build-up.

Lewis McGugan, playing alongside Moussi as one of the two deep, holding midfielders, seemed initially too eager to play the killer ball.

Garath McCleary produced a moment of brilliance, twice skilfully flicking the ball over the heads of defenders but then crossed abysmally into the stand.

McGugan was beginning to find his passing range however, slotting an inch-perfect delivery down the centre to send Nathan Tyson racing clear, only for the striker to be denied as Jon McLaughlin spread himself well.

It was no surprise when Thornhill, showing that instinctive timing again, made the breakthrough.

A cross from Paul Anderson bobbled across the face of the penalty area and Thornhill arrived to send a half-volley flying back across the keeper and into the net, in the 36th minute.

It was Thornhill's first Forest goal since he netted in a 2-1 defeat at Watford in March 2009, having spent the majority of last season out on loan with Brighton and Cheltenham.

The experienced Bradford manager, Peter Taylor, opted to make three changes at the interval.

But within 45 seconds of the restart, McGugan hammered an angled shot that pinballed wide of the post.

Anderson then showed some invention to elude his marker and cut back for Tyson, who would have scored had he not flicked his instinctive shot straight at the keeper from ten yards.

Tyson was hungry for further opportunities, however and he carved out another through a combination of determination and pace, as he showed strength to turn his marker before surging into the box, cutting back onto his left foot and bending the ball inches wide of the post.

Both began to look like key moments, however, as Bradford, with their first attack of the second period, scrambled a 57th-minute equaliser.

One of the substitutes, James Hanson, won the race for a through-ball with Camp and managed to send it spinning beyond the keeper and another of the Bantams' replacements, David Syers – a trialist who had only signed a month-long contract yesterday afternoon – was quick enough to prod the ball home at an angle from close range.

Davies made two changes of his own, bringing on Dexter Blackstock and Dele Adebola, to add power to the Reds' front-line.

Tyson smashed a shot against the foot of the post with McCleary's effort, from the rebound, cleared off the line, while Blackstock sent a towering header close and, in the 89th minute saw McLaughlin race of his line to smother at his feet with the goal briefly exposed.

The theme continued as extra-time began, with Tyson lifting a rising shot a foot high of the target and Thornhill flashing another, skimming effort wide.

And the lack of cutting edge again proved costly.

The third Bradford substitute, former Notts County man Simon Ramsden, forced a fine save from Camp with a driven free-kick, with Hanson then slotting home the loose ball to send the home fans into raptures.

Still Forest pushed forwards, with Chambers forcing a spectacular save from McLaughlin as he connected powerfully from just inside the box.

But, while Forest found chances easy to create, goals were again, crucially, harder to come by.