The FA Cup third round game between Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City at the City Ground on Saturday January 2 2009.
On his first anniversary in charge of Nottingham Forest, Billy Davies can be pleased with the progress he has achieved in the interim.
The Championship's form team almost accounted for their Premier League counterparts in this FA Cup third round tie at the City Ground, a result that would have emulated Forest's defeat of Manchester City at this stage last year which heralded Davies's arrival as replacement for Colin Calderwood.
Birmingham City had enough strength in depth on display but it was Forest who should have prevailed, the woodwork and Robert Earnshaw's errant penalty kick proving their salvation and forcing a replay both teams could doubtless do without.
Both managers are adamant that each of their teams are punching above their weight at the respective levels but any gap in class between the two was not apparent.
In fact it was front pairing of Dexter Blackstock and Earnshaw, the latter a proven prolific opportunist at Championship level, who had their Premier League opponents on the back foot early on.
James Perch's accurate chip in to space beyond the Birmingham back four found Blackstock in far too much space for the visitors' liking and though the angle was narrow, the Forest player's lack of composure saw his effort end up the side netting.
Earnshaw was less profligate with a couple of attempts that at least brought Joe Hart into action, snot enough to vindicate the claims of the travelling fans behind that he is in fact รข€˜England's No1' between the sticks.
Birmingham, however, have not climbed into contention for a European place next season without demonstrating resilience and an ability to counter to good effect and in Cameron Jerome, they have the power and pace to put that gameplan into operation.
His surging run and low shot had Lee Camp scampering to parry before his veteran partner Kevin Phillips repeated the feat, again the Forest goalkeeper scurrying across his line to deny the nomadic forward.
Hart was by far the more animated of the two goalkeepers as the promotion chasing home side, unbeaten in their previous 16 matches, played a patient passing game relying on possession.
If it was not the most riveting spectacle, Forest were almost rewarded shortly before half time from a traditional set piece when Luke Chambers was first to a Radoslaw Majewski corner only for his header to bounce off the underside of the bar before being hacked clear.
Perhaps galvanised by that escape, the tempo increased appreciably after the interval although it was Forest who should have stolen the lead as the teams traded blows at either end of the pitch.
Blackstock's pace carried him to the edge of the 18-yard area where a clever pass released Chris Cohen with only Hart to beat, a task that was beyond him as the goalkeeper dived to tip his effort away.
If that was the best clearest opening of the game to date, an even better one presented itself to Forest as Gregory Vignal tussled Paul Anderson to the ground when Perch's centre was partially cleared to the Forest winger.
The referee pointed to the spot but when Earnshaw stepped up to convert in the 62nd minute, his attempt drifted high over the crossbar.
Just a few minutes later he was on target as Forest's pressure continued, this time Hart's fingertips making a crucial deflection around the left hand post.
As Birmingham survived, they grew in stature and Phillips twice could have settled the tie. His trademark right foot shot from 20 yards defeated Camp and bounced off a post yet with 18 minutes remaining, a predator of his standing should have done better as Gary McSheffrey's pass created the time and space before Camp dashed from his line to deny him with a smothering save.
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