Torquay United 2-2 Notts County (National League) 24.04.21

A chance missed for Notts County who went to fellow promotion challengers Torquay United yesterday and lead until stoppage time before a late, late leveller, took the Devon outfit to the top of the National League table whilst the Magpies crash down to ninth.

After a bright start by the visitors Notts took the lead on 38 minutes when Dion Kelly-Evans curled home his first club goal and it was double delight four minutes after half time as Mark Ellis added yet another goal to his collection firing home after Connell Rawlinson headed into his path.

Ian Burchnall’s side were brilliant for periods and well deserved their lead but with fifteen minutes remaining of the match, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans volleyed home to reduce the deficit and Notts felt the force of the Gulls attack late on.

On 88 it was supposed to be made easier for County after Torquay’s Umerah received a second yellow card for fouling Mark Ellis but a late corner in the eighth minute of stoppage time was headed home by Wynter to send the home team top of the table on goal difference whilst County crash further out of the playoff zone now a point behind seventh placed Wrexham all be it, with two games in hand and thankfully, still plenty to play (nine remaining).

After the match, Burchnall was proud of his sides effort stating “The first-half performance was absolutely fantastic and I think for large parts of the second half, we created really good chances again.”

“We could have gone 3-1 up a couple of times and we hit the bar in the first half. We came away to team who have won five in a row and I thought for 75 minutes, we completely outplayed them.”

Notts next face fellow playoff chasers Eastleigh on Tuesday before a trip to Altrincham who are seventeenth at the weekend as the side hopes to improve on a recent run of form under the new Head Coach that has returned just one point from four matches.

Torquay United: Covolon Cauagnari, Wynter, Lemonheigh-Evans, Buse (Tomlinson 56), Andrews (Waters 68), Hall, Randell, Sherring, Boden, Moxey, Lewis.

Notts County: Steele, Chicksen, Rawlinson, Ellis, Lacey (Miller 46), Kelly-Evans, Doyle, Reeves, O’Brien (Griffiths 67), Wootton, Knowles (Knight 58).

Venue: Plainmoor

*Main image @Official_NCFC Notts denied by a late Torquay rally.