Perch warning for Rams

FOREST skipper James Perch has warned local rivals Derby County to expect a backlash from the defeat at Cardiff.

The Reds lost 2-0 at Ninian Park on Saturday, but Perch believes Forest will put that right by dumping their rivals out of the FA Cup in the City Ground replay on Wednesday night.

And after two draws at Pride Park already this season, Perch said: "We have to lift ourselves and go again now.

"We were unbeaten in six before this defeat, so we have to go another six now.

"We have no time to dwell on it, we have to forget about it and crack on.

"We look forward to Derby, we will turn up and do everything we did not do in the first half at Cardiff and beat them.

"It will be good to get them back here after drawing twice at their place.

''We have had to go to their backyard and play in front of their fans now it is their turn to come here and feel the wrath of our fans.

"We battled twice there so let's see what they can do."

The reward for winning is a fifth round tie at the City Ground against Manchester United. But Perch said: "I do not want to think about that game.

"It could be anyone in the next round and we could be playing, no disrespect, say Kettering.

"It is not about getting through to play Man United. It is about beating Derby."

Perch was disappointed by the first-half showing in south Wales at the weekend.

"The second half was a lot better than the first, when we let ourselves down massively," he said.

"But we had to go out and give a reaction and it was unfortunate they got the second goal and we didn't score.

"We have to put the result to bed and think about Wednesday.

''Credit to Cardiff, it is a difficult place to come to and they play good football, are physical and played well. We just let ourselves down a bit.

"The gaffer said to get angry, more aggressive, we had to put ourselves about a bit and we put the physical work in during the second half. But we have to make sure we do that from the start on Wednesday and every other game.

"If there is no good passing, no good skill, the least we have to do is put 110% into tackling, heading and the rest of it."

Forest still have a three-point cushion to safety but Perch said: "It is good to have but we do not want to be looking over our shoulder thinking we have a cushion, we want to kick on and make that gap as big as possible."

And he hopes to see new signings today.

"We have not got a big squad, it is a fact," he said. "We need to bring a few players in just to give us that depth and competition."