Well, a free weekend, so I felt this time would be fitting to have a look back and reflect on our pretty faultless beginning to the season. Whilst we have been blessed with some fantastic football from our team, we have faced some frustrating, typical Notts County moments along the way.
I will be reflecting on all our games so far, offering my opinions and thoughts on each as well as diving into our players as individuals and how they have performed over the course of this season so far. Now, all you have to do from this point is sit back, relax, and enjoy… Easy as that! So, here we go…
Notts County 3-0 Maidenhead
The season opener and we certainly were not disappointed, were we? There was a lot of expectations leading into this game as well as a lot of excitement. This was really the first realistic sighting of how the team would play under the claims of ‘strong promotion candidates’ and how we would hack the pressure of it. It was also our first opportunity really to get a strong indication on how the new boys who joined us from the league below would take to the step-up. I think it goes without saying the player we were all mostly looking forward to seeing in his league debut for the Club was Macaulay Langstaff due to the expectations a forward that scored the amount he did last campaign brings, but he did not disappoint at all.
As for the game itself, at the time I described it as ‘the perfect opening day’ and I still believe that now. Everything we anticipated for it became a reality and it really was a stylish performance to begin our campaign. A first look at how devastating Macaulay Langstaff can be with a bit of space between the defenders and six-yard-box and the fact that Joel Taylor paved the way for our excellent goal diversification that we still present for us today. The strike from Joel Taylor at the time felt like it could have been an early contender for goal of the season, and it may well be but as we know, a certain somebody had something to say about that competition on a later date, but we will get into that as we get to it. Three points, three goals, beaming sunlight and Meadow Lane Stadium, we certainly have had more unfortunate beginnings to past campaigns.
Boreham Wood 2-2 Notts County
So, this day held what was comfortably the hottest away game I have ever travelled to. Whether you were present or not, we all remember the unbearable heats that joined us this summer. Imagine that plus an open away terrace with no shade and that was what the five hundred travelling supporters felt at Meadow Park.
Whilst the heat was a key factor in how the game went, we replicated the same heat to begin the game going a goal up so early and at that point, I really began to feel convinced
that this team had THAT key factor that gets clubs promoted from this division. Then obviously, we were brought back to level terms before half-time and you felt kind of like ‘okay, away at one of the league’s tougher places to play level at half-time is not the end of the world.’ But then, we go ahead late again in the second half and at that point really, we should really see the game out and go home with all three points but that did not happen as a defensive mix-up led to another Boreham Wood equaliser and the game ended level.
At this point, it felt a bit disappointing if you are here to deal with truths. I get the perspective that drawing away to Boreham Wood is not the worst result and you probably would take it before the game begins. Yet, when you lead not once but twice in a game, you must go on to win it. I personally felt that it was acceptable due to the time it happened in the season on Matchday Two but if it was further down the line, fans would struggle to accept it and that would be fair enough.
Gateshead 1-1 Notts County
The first Tuesday night away day of the season and with the distance it was away from home, we certainly did not thank the fixture list for this one. This game obviously had a lot of eyes on it as it was the homecoming if you like of Macaulay Langstaff and Cedwyn Scott to their former stomping ground and with that came high expectations of the pairing but unfortunately for them individually, it was a night to forget rather than to remember.
However, the game itself, maybe a wake-up call if truth be told. The goal we conceded came through a rare, individual mistake from our heavily reliable Club Captain Kyle Cameron and that led to Gateshead being presented the golden opportunity to take the lead and, in the end, it was opportunity well-taken. Then it felt we were up against it, creating a high number of chances and failing to convert them it felt like it was a case of ‘it’s just not our day.’ But then a strike of fortune for us and misfortune if you like for Gateshead had us level courtesy of an own goal but looking back on it now, you would have to say it was deserved for how we concluded the game.
The reason I referred to this game as a wake-up call was due to the fact that it was the first time in the season we were up against it. Gateshead parked eleven men behind the ball and rain began to fall yet our persistence shone through and we got our reward in the end. But that game will not be the last time this season we go up against it on the road and if we are genuine contenders for the title this campaign, these are the games we must be winning. Likewise, the Boreham Wood game, I felt we got let off a bit with the timing of the game in the season, but it gave us the opportunity to properly reflect on our wrongs and ensure going forward they would be rights and they have been so along with a wake-up call, it was also quite an important learning curve, and we should be grateful for that.
Finally on this game, six hundred travelling supporters three hours away from home on a Tuesday night cannot be overlooked. A wonderful turnout as always from the Notts faithful and it really felt good to be a part of it. Can only imagine those calibre of turnouts will continue throughout the season along as we continue our rich run of form.
Notts County 2-2 Chesterfield
The first real big test of the season. A game of not only high stakes but endless bragging rights as it is no secret by now that the clubs have a disliking for one another. It was felt for us going into this game that a good, convincing performance up against a so-called local rival and a positive result would really give us that push to go on and really convince our supporters that this season would be the year we finally departed this division.
However, the opening hour of the game arguably could not have gone any worse and you could brand it as a disastrous opening sixty minutes. Whilst we were far from our best, Chesterfield were fantastic and I believe that was a catalyst in the motivational reaction from the forever noisy, passionate KOP that led to our comeback. It certainly is no secret that the introduction of Sam Austin and Cedwyn Scott was also a catalyst in our comeback as the energy the pairing entered the pitch with terrified the Chesterfield backline and really began our fightback. It was a fantastic piece of individual work from Cedwyn Scott that led to our first goal that was converted instinctively by Macaulay Langstaff and an unreal, almost perfect cross from Sam Austin that led to the leveller which was also excellently headed home from our number nine. After this, you felt that if we began the game in the manner, we concluded it the game would not have felt a contest but all-in-all, you would now probably sit and reflect on a draw being a fair result.
From this game Sam Austin claimed the title of that ‘impact sub’ from the energy he added to the game in a time where we really needed it, and it gave us all an indication of what to expect from Cedwyn Scott when he became fully match fit. Ultimately, from this game, despite such a horror show of an opening sixty minutes, the comeback began what was a very, very promising run of wins for us and that is something now we look back on and think ‘thank goodness this happened.’
FC Halifax Town 1-4 Notts County
Now then, first things first, what an incredible day this one transpired to be. From start to finish, I personally felt we were nothing short of fantastic and were good value for the four goals and three points as the score-line certainly did not flatten us.
Sam Austin was deservedly brought into the eleven following his display previously against Chesterfield and it was his cross again that presented a perfect opportunity for the opener on a plate for Macaulay Langstaff and in shock news, our number nine took that opportunity expertly with both hands. Shortly after the opener, Cedwyn Scott opened his account in a Notts shirt on the stroke of half-time that gave us a two-goal advantage and really did kill the game off as the belief within the FC Halifax Town team truly disappeared. The pair of
goal scorers combined again to add our third with Cedwyn Scott slipping through Macca for his second and Kairo Mitchell cancelled out the sign of fight that Town showed late on with a fourth to send us home happy with all three points.
The most impressive aspect from this game was when you compared it to our last league outing at The Shay Stadium. Last season, we were 0-2 to the good and eventually were defeated 3-2 against the ten men of the home side on the night but now this season, to go and win 1-4 on the road at a place we fell apart at last campaign was the first real sign of belief that this team is not only so much more improved on last season’s but also the belief that maybe this could be the year we win the silverware this division has on offer for their winners. I felt this game really turned a page for our new chapter under Luke Williams and everybody put their deserved faith in our manager.
Notts County 1-0 Solihull Moors
This game had a great deal of significance. Not only did well all see it as another promotion rival at home and a game we needed to take all three points from but also had that added incentive of bragging rights on it as the Moors are currently managed by the great Neal Ardley. I brand Neal Ardley as great as I felt that is what he earnt during his time at the club. Had the impossible task of keeping a poorly constructed side in the Football League to then remaining with us during our financial scrutiny to then leading us out at our first visit to the new Wembley Stadium. Although he did not achieve his intended goal of taking us back to where we belong, he certainly represented our club in a way we cannot not be grateful for and for that reason I struggle to wish him anything but the best in his future endeavours.
But enough about Neal and more about what we are here for, the game. The game as a whole was typically closely contested, typically in the sense that it was exactly what you would have expected prior to the game beginning. We, however, won the game in a bittersweet style with Adam Chicksen popping up with the winner against his former boss who froze him out the Notts side completely and told him his time at the club was over. This Chicksen winner was obviously no fluke as the Zimbabwean defender has broken his career tally in under half a season with Luke Williams’ guidance but in terms of this game it had the greater significance as it was the matchwinner.
This game really showed us that our squad had the capabilities it would take to be success in this division as to be the best, you must beat the best and we on this day did beat one of the league’s best to put out a statement really to the rest of the division that we were not here to make many mistakes this season.
Dagenham & Redbridge 0-5 Notts County
When you talk about statements, this was THE statement. This was fantastic, unexpected but fantastic and without a doubt our most complete performance of the season. From the very start to the very finish, we were very, very impressive, and really gave ourselves a long list of positives to take from our outing in the Capital.
It would be rude of me to begin speaking about this game anywhere else other than the fantastic hattrick from our clinical number nine. It was this game where I got the serious impression that this man is the real deal and whilst all the previous campaign I was screaming out for a proven, out-and-out goalscorer as they are the difference in the play-offs to the promotion of this division, I believed we had finally found our match in Macaulay Langstaff. Whilst neither of his three goals were glamourous, they do not have to be when you have the natural instincts that this forward has. In fact, what was most impressive of all his goals was that he found himself in the right place at the right time on three different occasions for three goals to complete what was his first but most certainly not his final hattrick in a Notts County shirt. Macca was the real catalyst for this fine day in the sunshine away from home and likewise the hattrick, I am confident that will not be the last time we are saying things along the same line as that this season and during his time as a Magpie.
Cedwyn Scott and Adam Chicksen, who were two key performers on the day, both also clinically found the back of the net to turn Macca’s three into our five on the day. Now, clinical is not the word we are used to describing Adam Chicksen as at this Football Club, but I believe we simply call this the Luke Williams effect and move on into our next result.
Notts County 2-0 Aldershot Town
Meadow Lane, Tuesday night, under the floodlights? I struggle to find any more enjoyable evening and I think you would all join me in sharing that same opinion. Although this game will not go down as the most memorable night of the season, it is of course well-worth the recap and the reacknowledgement that this was one of many stylish performances to add to the collection under Luke Williams so far.
Another game where both Cedwyn Scott and Macaulay Langstaff found themselves on the scoresheet and securing our well-deserved three points on the night. The opener came through Cedwyn Scott, assisted by Macca who was heavily assisted by a moment of excellence from Geraldo Bajrami who carried the ball the best part of thirty yards before finding Macca who found his partner to finish off for the opener. Then for our second, Macca did a typical Macaulay Langstaff action in getting the right side of his man and sliding the ball home off the back of a drilled Aaron Nemane ball into the six-yard-box for the goal that ultimately killed the game.
Not the most glorious result given it was one we were all expected but a game that we dealt with professionally but with ease and one we resulted with three points from, leaving a crowd of over six thousand returning home happy on the night.
Dorking Wanderers 3-1 Notts County
Now, although this result was a major shock to our systems, I personally believe that this was one of the most important results we have had so far this season and I will obviously explain why.
First, for the record, it is worth highlighting that the Wanderers were fantastic on the day and did not look like a side who were newly promoted to the division. Yes, their goals were all really gifted to them through our mistakes but when you are presented such chances you must make sure you take them, and they did so you simply just must praise and respect that matter.
As for why I feel this was one of our most important results of the season was due to the fact we were quite heavily humbled, and it was a blessing in disguise for us. Of course, it is not nice to lose especially to a side you would not have expected us to have lost to leading up to the game, but we showed up so complacent and it almost felt like we as a side felt entitled to win the game and Dorking Wanderers reminded us as to why you simply and we as a team this simply cannot show up and expect to win. To be successful, its essential that you show up to each game and play exactly how you would do if the game was against your promotion rivals, and we did not do that at all on the day and we were quite brutally reminded as to why you cannot take a step off the gas due to the opposition you play against on the day.
Cedwyn Scott levelled for us on the day with a fine finish and from that point I am sure we all felt we would go onto win the game, but that was not the case. Although in the end it was a day to forget, the humbling we were dealt gave Luke Williams the opportunity to get the message across to his team that if you show up and expect to win you will get dealt with and we certainly got dealt with so hats off to Dorking Wanderers, they were fantastic.
York City 1-3 Notts County
When you need a response from the previous weekend’s defeat, the best place to do it is in front of a traveling 1,700 Pies away at York City. When you take that many away from in the fifth tier of English Football, you must take a moment and praise the turnout and both away ends on the day were fantastic and it was made even better that our boys sent us home happy.
Another return to a former club for our number nine but thankfully this time this occasion was more successful for Macca than his last one against Gateshead. But before we get into his brace, we must talk about THAT Quevin Castro free kick. At first, with the distance it was away from goal, I for one could not believe he even wanted to attempt to strike for goal from there. But, as he struck it and the ball began to pick up elevation and pace, you just
had the feeling it was going to find its way into the back of the net and in it went, off the post and into the top corner of Ethan Ross’ net for our goal of the season. I say that so early as I would be extremely surprised if we score a better goal all season but if we do manage to do so, then I look very much forward to that game. By far and hands down the best goal I have seen live in my twenty years of existence, it was simply incredible.
Now then, Macca’s brace. First a header then an instinctive, one-against-one finish but most impressively of all was the timing both goals came during the game. The first, the header, came towards the end of the first half to send us into the break leading the game. The second came on the break during a spell of attacks from York City and this goal really killed the game off and ensured our victory. To be the best of the best, it’s not about just scoring the goals it’s about the timings of them and with Macca I believe he have the best of the best. Another day where he stole the highlights, saying I was shocked would be a lie and I do not have that in me. Every man and every fan were fantastic on the day, and the three points were completely merited.
Notts County 3-1 Altrincham
This game felt quite like the previous Aldershot game, one in which we as supporters expected to win yet it was essential that we showed up professionally and won the game in a stylish manner, as we did.
In truth, the opening forty minutes to the game was very sluggish for our standards under Luke Williams. I felt that we were lethargic in our approaches and that gave Altrincham the golden opportunity to park eleven men behind the ball and hold the game level for as long as possible. But, luckily for us, when you have a forward of the calibre of Macaulay Langstaff you only need to fashion half a chance for him to score a goal and thankfully, we did that twice and went into the break two goals to the good.
The second half would have led in a completely different complexion if we failed to find our opening before the interval as the visitors would have come out backs against the wall again to protect their point. However, trailing the game Altrincham came out all guns blazing as we all know and scored off the back of a well-constructed counterattack giving them a lifeline in the game.
We ensured that lifeline was quickly cancelled out when Adam Chicksen popped up at the back post to turn home a Macaulay Langstaff header to put the cherry on the icing of the cake for another victory at Meadow Lane.
Professional, classy performance without taking the opposition for granted. I felt we learned our lesson from previous underestimations likewise the one at Dorking Wanderers.
Notts County 1-0 Wrexham AFC
The win of the season, without a shadow of a doubt. It goes without saying how big that game was with both sides being first and second and title favourites prior to the season opener.
First things first, the attendance surpassed over ten thousand on a Tuesday evening in the fifth tier of English Football and that is incredible. But then again, when you are the biggest club in the division, these things feel quite typical.
It was always felt that we had to start the game off strong to impose our style on Wrexham rather than playing the occasion which we have been culprits of doing in the past. For me, we really could not have got to a better start if we tried. Our dominance from the first minute was evident and when the wonderful free-kick routine paid off and the ball fell to Macaulay Langstaff on the edge of the six-yard-box, there was only ever going to be one outcome, goal.
From that point onwards, we just had to ensure we limited the visitors to a minimal as well as continue to be threatening on the break and we did both expertly. With that being the case, it was a well-merited and massively deserved three points and three points that could be very important in terms of the title race towards the end of the season. It was by far the most impressive performance under Luke Williams, and I feel that it will be a difficult one to top this season that is for sure.
Woking 2-3 Notts County
This was no easy game. In fact, I would go as far as saying it was by far one of our most difficult so far. The job that Darren Sarll is currently doing at Woking is nothing short of remarkable and I think that is accurately reflected in their current league position. I knew this one was not going to be easy, but one we had to win and eventually did.
We started this game fantastically, almost in a way that felt too good to be true. The massively in-form Adam Chicksen was hurled over in the box leaving the referee with no choice but to grant the honours of putting us ahead to Ruben Rodrigues and the rest was clinical history. At that point you feel great as we have got the first goal nice and early in the game and gave ourselves something to protect. But then, Cedwyn Scott adds a second minutes later and then we really began to feel like we had entered dreamland once again.
Sam Slocombe gave us a scare when his attempted clearance was blocked and turned into the back of the net for a goal back for Sarll’s side but when Cedwyn Scott made it a brace for himself just before the break to send us in with our two-goal advantage restored I felt from that point that there would only be one winner.
Woking were awarded a soft penalty in truth towards the end of a second half that we controlled the vast majority of and gave us a horrible time in the five additional minutes the Fourth Official decided but we managed to see out the game in the expected manner to ensure three points came back to Nottingham with us.
The one thing I can safely say about this game is that if we had the same difficult game as we did this season at Woking but last season instead, we would have been defeated and I think you would all agree with me in sharing the same opinion there. The key difference under Luke Williams is the mentality and that mentality certainly stood us in good stead in our quest for victory here.
Notts County 2-3 Coalville Town
Firstly, huge respect to Coalville Town who simply turned up on the day and wanted it a lot more than we ever did and left worthy winners but the Notts County team performance on this day was unacceptable. I completely respect the fact that it was a massively rotated squad with a lot of our players getting their first full starts in weeks, but the effort levels were just not there from the beginning, and it led to what could have been a very successful afternoon transpiring to be the latter.
I felt like we underestimated our opposition, when despite their respective leagues, they had a lot of players who had gallons of EFL experience such as Ashley Chambers and Billy Kee. It was never ever going to be easy, we all knew that from the start, but the performance was one we simply could not appreciate or admire and really left a feeling of embarrassment across the club for the remainder of the weekend.
However, it felt like a mini blessing in disguise. When the league title is a priority of yours you must make sure it is the main of the bunch and therefore early exits out of cup competitions that we have no chance of winning is not the worst thing in the world. I completely understand the argument of the benefits of the tournament money, but I think the bonuses of promotion heavily outweigh the bonuses for cup progression. Also, our Owners are not short of money, let’s set that straight. Although we are not active high spenders, that does not mean there is no money to spend. Our Owners made and continue to make their intentions clear, and those intentions ensured the future of our Club was in the finest of hands.
We certainly could do without the reminder of how the game panned out, so it is best to say the best of luck to Coalville Town away at Charlton Athletic this weekend and move on swiftly.
Notts County 3-0 Maidstone United
The response. The all-important response to the early cup exit was needed and we received it with yet another classy, typical Luke Williams side display that saw us play Maidstone off the park from minute one to ninety.
We had to be patient with our approach as the visitors looked mortified to even attempt to leave their own half for the opening forty minutes, but we eventually worked our opening when our number nine pounced on a loose ball in the six-yard-box to smash home off the goalkeeper. When you give Macca his bread and butter like that he is never going to say no and that should have been lesson well delivered to Maidstone.
But it appeared not, as we came out for the second half on the night and saw Ruben Rodrigues presented with his bread and butter as well, with our Portuguese Maestro finding himself free on the edge of the penalty area with the space to push the ball out of his feet and bend the ball into the far top corner of the goal ahead of the KOP Stand.
At 2-0, it felt like game over and the reliable Cedwyn Scott turned two into three to really screw the final nail into the coffin of the visitors, with a snapshot from the edge of the penalty area to the near post of the Goalkeeper’s, leaving the shot-stopper with absolutely no chance at all.
We were demanding that classy response and we received it. A rare Friday night under the lights of the Lane concluded fantastically and suddenly, Coalville felt like a distant memory.
Wealdstone 1-6 Notts County
WOW. Just WOW. Nights like this one do not come around all that often but when they do, you have to enjoy them, and boy did we enjoy this one. A statement, and a big one at that. One that said to the rest of the league, we have scored four and five but now here is six. A result that struck fear into the upcoming opposition put in our way, that is for sure.
The key message we sent out from this performance was the fact that we are not so heavily reliant on Macca to score all the goals as some other fans from opposing clubs once blindly claimed and the fact, we had five different scorers on the night really delivered that message with an emphasis.
It was great for us to see Matty Palmer, Aaron Nemane and Geraldo Bajrami all open their accounts for the season as all three of them are key players for us currently and the fact they are now starting to add goals to their game as well as continue to perform at a consistent manner week-in week-out is really promising and exciting times for us going forward, especially when considering the title charge we find ourselves currently in the full-swing o
Whilst it was good to see that trio on the scoresheet, it was also pleasant to see Adam Chicksen bag himself a brace as well as Macca grabbing his seventeenth goal for the season, keeping him up and level with a certain Erling Haaland. Two players that have been a very rich source of goals for us thus far this season and two sources we could do with constantly renewing every game to make sure their scoring sprees continue throughout a lengthy spell of what remains of the campaign.
I could really sit and speak all day about this triumph of ours away to Wealdstone, but I fear we would be here all day. A final summary of the performance? Impeccable, complete, and champion-like and hopefully in May I can turn to you all and say I told you so.
Notts County 4-0 Torquay United
Bittersweet is the way I would describe this one. After the past play-off defeat and heavy 5-1 defeat they dealt us last season, it felt like we owed Gary Johnson and his side one and deal them one we did.
The previous bad blood between the two clubs began following the play-off defeat when Kyle Cameron and Aaron Nemane both left the Gulls to sign for us. Whilst at the time it was branded as a ‘sideways move’ for the pair, there is nothing sideways about it now as we sit top of the pile whilst they remain at the very bottom of it.
A typical Gary Johnson side time wastes from the get-go when they feel like they are playing against an opposition of higher quality than he has within his squad so as expected, that is exactly how he set-up to begin the game at the Lane. However, thanks to first-half conversions from Connell Rawlinson and Ruben Rodrigues, we entered the break again two goals to the good and this forced the visitors to come out for it more in the second half.
Although they came out and fashioned a few openings for themselves, we began to expose tired legs in yellow shirts and with that being the case, Quevin Castro and Geraldo Bajrami added their names to the scoresheet to double our lead and end the game as a whole and as a contest if you could even call it that.
Another professional performance on an afternoon where we are expected to win comfortably? We take those and this one felt the sweetest of them all as a bitter Gary Johnson travelled five hours back home completely empty-handed. Priceless.
Notts County 1-1 Bromley
This past Tuesday evening, frustrating, wasn’t it? Felt like a loss and that can only be seen as a positive as it reflects on the high expectations Luke Williams has set for us this season given, we have won twelve whilst only falling to a shock defeat just the once.
There was a lot made of the antics Andy Woodman embedded into his side with the consistent timewasting for the full duration of the second half, but we should see that as a massive compliment. The fact opposing managers of teams that will be in-and-around the play-offs come the end of the season feel that they have no choice but to kill the clock to take anything away from a game against us shows the fear we are striking in opposition.
I also feel that we will learn a lot from that game. We now understand how it is to play against a team that had no intention of anything but a draw and when we play against sides that set up to kill the clock, we know we must be more precise and really take our chances.
Speaking of chances, we created many. Hitting the post once and the crossbar twice, on a different day that is three goals, and we win 4-1. But that day did not transpire to be Tuesday and unfortunately, we were held to a point, but it is a valuable learning curve for us moving forward.
It was fantastic for Adam Chicksen to score again as I mentioned previously, the longer he can continue to score regularly, the better it will be for us. Also, its another point on the board, and we are still the league leaders and deservedly so too so let’s enjoy that and look very much forward to the trip to Essex on Tuesday evening to face-off with Southend United.
Now that is every game and result touched on, I want to dive into every player individually and offer my thoughts to their seasons so far as individuals… So from Sunday at 9am please head back to this website for part two of our season so far…
*Article provided by K-Ci Rennicks (Notts County Correspondent).
*Main image @Official_NCFC things couldn’t have gone much better in the league so far this season.
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