▁that ▁the ▁result ▁should ▁stand ▁and ▁Forest ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁final , ▁played ▁at ▁Cry stal ▁Palace ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁April ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁Forest ▁met ▁Form an ' s ▁old ▁club , ▁Derby ▁County , ▁who , ▁like ▁Forest , ▁were ▁making ▁their ▁first ▁Cup ▁Final ▁appearance . ▁Derby ▁were ▁favour ites ▁to ▁win , ▁having ▁defeated ▁Forest ▁ 5 – 0 ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁earlier . ▁Forest ▁scored ▁first ▁after ▁ 1 9 ▁minutes ▁when ▁Will ie ▁W rag g ' s ▁free - k ick ▁fell ▁to ▁Arthur ▁Cap es ▁whose ▁shot ▁gave ▁Jack ▁F ry er ▁in ▁the ▁Derby ▁goal ▁little ▁chance . ▁County ▁now ▁began ▁to ▁ex ert ▁pressure ▁on ▁the ▁Forest ▁defence ▁and ▁Form an , ▁" who ▁was ▁performing ▁splendid ly ▁at ▁the ▁back " ▁had ▁to ▁clear ▁efforts ▁from ▁John ▁Good all ▁and ▁Steve ▁Blo omer . ▁Just ▁after ▁the ▁half - hour ▁point , ▁Derby ▁were ▁level ▁after ▁Form an ▁gave ▁away ▁a ▁free ▁kick ▁on ▁the ▁edge ▁of ▁the ▁penalty ▁area ▁which ▁was ▁wh ipped ▁in ▁by ▁Joe ▁Le i per ▁for ▁Steve ▁Blo omer ▁to ▁score ▁with ▁a ▁header ▁off ▁the ▁cross bar . ▁Three ▁minutes ▁before ▁the ▁half - time ▁interval , ▁Forest ▁were ▁back ▁in ▁front ▁after ▁a ▁mistake ▁by ▁F ry er ▁allowed ▁Cap es ▁a ▁simple ▁tap - in . ▁Although ▁Derby ▁attempted ▁to ▁raise ▁their ▁game ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁half ▁they