Notts County 5-0 Aveley (FA Trophy Quarter Final) 29.02.20
Notts County are through to the semi finals of the Buildbase FA Trophy after a convincing once sided performance at Meadow Lane this afternoon.
The Magpies crushed their part-time Isthmian League opponents showing no mercy for lesser opposition as Neal Ardley’s men cruised to a last four slot ensuring Notts are now just one match away from a Wembley final and a place they haven’t visited since 1995.
The visitors proved stern and resolute in the opening half hour but Notts pressured the opposition goalkeeper into saves from Dennis (twice) and Crawford before Jim O’Brien let fly from 25 yards only for Hughes to let the ball slip through his grasp as Notts took the lead on 32.
Hughes then looked to redeem himself saving well again from Dennis before keeping out Osborne but as the home team constantly attacked with a further spell of pressure it was Crawford this time who tried his luck from range placing his shot from the edge of the area into the bottom corner.
Two soon became three as Sam Osbrorne got in on the act a minute before half time with Wooton back heeling into the young midfielders path who made no mistake one on one. The perfect half for Notts ending 3-0 with all the goals coming inside the last fifteen minutes of the first 45.
An early effort by Rawlinson in the second half was flicked over before Aveley tried their luck through Sykes who shot wide but on the hour Kyle Wootton made it four after being fed by Dennis. A minute later Notts replaced Dennis with new signing Scott Wilson with the debutant making an instant impact running through to slide home less than three minutes from coming on as sub.
With Notts 5-0 up and cruising both sides made a number of changes as the game filtered out to an innocuous last half hour or so with Notts missing a few further chances along the way to rack up the score count.
In the end it was a terrific display against a side who has moved mountains to get as far as they have in the competition, Notts proving their class and totally controlling the match in a professional manor, they must now look at taking the semi-final as serious as they hope to reward their fantastic fans with a long awaited trip to Wembley.
Here’s hoping it’s two Wembley trips this season? Manager Neal Ardley stating afterwards “We want to win the Trophy, it’s exciting for the fans. Hopefully we go into the last four weeks of the season with a chance of both the play-offs and of winning this.”
County: McDonnell, O’Brien, Doyle (Shields 62), Dennis (Wilson 62), Rawlinson (Betts 71), Wootton, Kelly-Evans, Crawford, Osborne, Bagan, Long.
*Main image @Official_NCFC Notts celebrate a convincing day at the office.
