IT’S BEEN A difficult season for David Forde and he didn’t do himself any favours with a dreadful mistake during Millwall’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy semi-final against Oxford last night.
The Ireland goalkeeper has found himself out of the picture at the Den this campaign after been dropped in favour of Scottish youngster Jordan Archer.
He forced his way back into the reckoning over the Christmas period with a string of assured performances when he was called upon to deputise when Archer was unavailable through suspension.
But Thursday’s costly error is a setback for the 35-year-old, who has also lost his place in the Ireland side despite rarely putting a foot wrong in a green jersey.
Forde was caught off guard by Kemar Roofe’s low cross from the right and failed to deal with it, allowing it to squirm under his body and into the net at the near post.
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League Two Oxford went onto win 2-0 with Roofe, who was the star of his side’s FA Cup win over Swansea, scoring his second just before half-time.
Former Dundalk striker Pat Hoban played 77 minutes for the visitors.
The result has left Millwall with a mountain to climb in the second-leg and lets hope Forde’s error doesn’t cost his side at place at Wembley and him a place in the starting XI for the weekend’s game against Port Vale.
