Notts County 1-0 Woking (National League) 05.12.20

They may have left it late but in the end it was a fantastic afternoons work for Notts County as they beat Woking at Meadow Lane in the National League to move third in the table behind leaders Torquay and Sutton United.

A tough opening 45 minutes against fellow promotion pushers saw chances at both ends with the visitors first to test the target (or not) on seven minutes when Kretzschmar fired over from 20 yards.

Making his home debut for the Magpies Tom Walker went close for Notts after firing into the side netting following a superb cross field ball by Michael Doyle. The on-loan Harrogate winger cutting in to drag his shot the wrong side of the net.

Notts had opportunity on 37 minutes when Rawlinson headed a Doyle free kick down in to the danger zone but Wootton’s shot was well blocked by a defender.

As the half approached its closure Woking had Tarpey go close heading on to the roof of the net with both sides Managers perhaps content going into the interval scoreless.

County came out with intent early doors and forced a penalty as Wootton went down inside the box. The striker picking himself up to put the ball on the spot but failing to convert after Woking goalkeeper Ross made the save.

It looked not to be Wootton’s day as the forward snatched at an opportunity in front of goal when Turner nodded down into his path, the former Scunthorpe man mis-kicking at the vital moment. Then it got even more frustrating as Wootton went into the book, but persistence for his workrate and desire finally paid off on 79 minutes after brilliant play by substitute Enzio Boldewijn who laid it on a plate for a match winning hero to do what he does best.

As the minutes ticked, Woking would fight to level but be denied by impressive Magpies defending, three hard earned points against a tough opponent a good day at the office, with Wootton’s penalty miss well and truly forgotten by 5pm.

Notts County: Slocombe, Brindley, Rawlinson, Turner, Kelly-Evans, Doyle, Reeves, Rodrigues (O’Brien 69), Walker (Knowles 81), Sam (Boldewijn 60), Wootton.

Woking: Ross, Spasov (Jarvis 84), Casey, Cook, Shotton, Cooper, Lofthouse, Kretzschmar, Ferdinand (Tarpey 27), Dempsey (Wareham 88), Davison.

Venue: Meadow Lane

*Main image @Official_NCFC the County players celebrate after the whistle.