Notts Draw At Fleetwood

Fleetwood Town 2-2 Notts County (EFL League Two) 01.03.2025

Two points lost, or a point gained, it’s hard to fathom in this League Two promotion race as those battling at the top of the division are starting, at present, to separate themselves, eleven points now splitting second and eighth place, with Notts County drawing, just, away to mid-table Fleetwood Town.

Stuart Maynard’s high-flying Magpies led at the break, Tottenham Hotspur loanee, George Abbott, creating and scoring the goal; he forced the Fleetwood backline into giving up the ball, before proceeding to fire home the opener past Jay Lynch in the home goal.

Lynch was called into action to prevent County striker, Alassana Jatta, from extending the visitors’ lead, they having a slender advantage after the first forty-five, whilst Lynch again denied Jatta as the game headed towards the hour mark, before the hosts turned the game on its head.

As the game headed towards its final twenty, Ryan Graydon found himself on-hand with a quick-fire double to put the hosts 2-1 in front; hist first came from twelve yards out after visiting ‘keeper, Alex Bass, had brought him down, to equalised in the 68th minute.

Then, two minutes later, the same player had the Cod Army in front when notching his fourth in three games for the lead, dragging the ball onto his weaker foot before firing a low effort past Bass in the visiting goal.

The hosts came close to adding a decisive third with fifteen minutes remaining, a goal which would have effectively killed Maynard’s sides hopes of getting anything from the game, however, his close-range header, was just off the mark.

It was a miss that spurred the visiting Pies on to search for, and ultimately snatch, the equaliser, they having to wait until the closing minutes to do so; Abbott and Charlie Whitaker combined before putting the ball on a plate for Jatta to stroke home a hard-fought leveller.

It’s a point which keeps County well in the hunt for automatic promotion, and in the driving seat for the play-offs if not; three points behind third place Doncaster Rovers, with a game in hand, and a stronger goal-difference, playing into their favour.

Lowly Barrow visit Meadow Lane on Tuesday (4 March) night, before a blockbuster of a clash at fellow promotion hopefuls, AFC Wimbledon, next Saturday (8 March) lunchtime.

Magpies: Alex Bass, Zak Johnson (Lewis Macari 78), Matty Platt, Jacob Bedeau, Kellan Gordon (Jodi Jones 77), George Abbott, Matthew Palmer, Nick Tsaroulla (Will Jarvis 71), Charlie Whitaker, Conor Grant (Mai Traore 71), Alassana Jatta.