Notts Face Chesterfield In Playoffs

A final day draw at home to Bristol Rovers saw Notts County having to rely on the lottery of the EFL League Two play-offs if they’re to gain promotion this season.

Automatic promotion, or the lottery of the play-offs? That was the question going into the final day of the League Two season for Martin Paterson’s Notts County side.

Going into Saturday’s games County were sitting fifth in the table, hot on the heels of fourth place Salford City, and third place Cambridge United, with the trio knowing what they needed to claim that coveted, third place.

With Bromley and MK Dons battling it out for the League Two title, the next three sides were also entrenched in footballing warfare; County, their rollercoaster season has seen them as high as second, whilst not being out of the top seven since week thirteen, and have been in the top five for the past nineteen weeks.

Cue the madness of the final day, and the drama that would, undoubtedly, unfold, as Paterson’s charges welcomed mid-table Bristol Rovers to Meadow Lane; Salford and Cambridge meanwhile were on the road, at Crawley Town and Crewe Alexandra respectively.

Midfielder Nick Tsaroulla found his way into the referee’s notebook after ten minutes, for alleged simulation in the box, and the same player opened the scoring just before the half mark, sending the majority of the home crowd wild.

A cross into the area from Jodi Jones was met by the head of Alassana Jatta, it falling kindly for Tsaroulla to fire his fourth of the season past Brad Young in the visiting goal – County leading 1-0, scores elsewhere, goalless.

As the first half headed into its final ten minutes the visitors came close to equalising, Shaq Forde finding himself in a one-on-one situation with James Belshaw in the County goal having been played through by Promise Omochere, Belshaw coming out on top.

Both sides created chances but the half finished with County in the ascendency, a score that seen them move between Cambridge and Salford, both their games remaining goalless at the break, with the U’s having a goal-difference advantage.

The second half began in the same vein as the first concluded, both sides pushing towards goal, and defences holding firm, Forde proving a nuisance for the visitors; then, ten minutes into the second period, Harrison equalised with a shot from a tight angle.

With Grimsby winning at Tranmere, the goal from Harrison saw County slip down to sixth place on goal difference, and Paterson immediately ringing the changes, bringing on Matthew Palmer, Scott Robertson and Tyrese Hall, for Ollie Norburn, Jayden Luker, and Conor Grant respectively.

As the game moved into the final half hour, County moved back up to fifth after Tranmere Rovers equalised at home to Grimsby, and Chesterfield found themselves in sixth having

gone 2-1 up at Swindon Town – meanwhile, the games involving Cambridge and Salford remained goalless.

Yusuf Akhamrich came close to a late winner for visiting Rovers with ten minutes remaining, firing wide of Belshaw’s goal as third to seventh remained separated by just four points; whilst with minutes remaining Jacob Bedeau saw a goal disallowed for offside after another second half substitute Matthew Dennis’ cross-cum-shot struck the crossbar.

With six minutes of added time, a draw at Meadow Lane, alongside results elsewhere, wasn’t enough for the hosts to nick the last, automatic promotion spot with Cambridge finishing third, Salford fourth, and County fifth, Chesterfield and Grimsby making up the play-offs.

Notts County – James Belshaw, Lucas Ness, Rod McDonald (capt), Jacob Bedeau, Nick Tsaroulla, Oliver Norburn (Matthew Palmer, 58), Tom Iorpenda, Jodi Jones (Lee Ndlovu, 72), Jayden Luker (Scott Robertson, 58), Conor Grant (Tyrese Hall, 58), Alassana Jatta (Matthew Dennis, 72)

The League Two play-off semi-finals will be played out as follows – Grimsby vs Salford (10 May 3pm and 15 May 715pm), and Chesterfield vs. Notts County (10 May 6pm and 15 May 8pm).