Notts Record Sixth Straight Win

Notts County registered a sixth straight win on Saturday afternoon, a result which fired them into second place in EFL League Two, and five points off a Bromley side who coincidentally, they play next.

Of those six victories, this was to be the fourth in which they’d won by a 2-1 scoreline, overcoming a tough Barrow side who, although relegation-threatened have seen misfortune, conceding goals late on in six of their losses over December, January, and early February.

Visiting midfielder, Scott Smith, got the afternoon’s scoring underway when, sixteen minutes in, he connected with Nick Tsaroulla’s driven effort and deflected it past his own ‘keeper, Wyll Stanway, who moments earlier had prevented Lewis Macari’s effort going in.

Charlie McCann restored parity on the half hour though, following a burst down the flank from Jack Earing, and his ball into the box perfect for McCann to fire past James Belshaw from fifteen yards out.

Both sides had chances in the latter stages of the first half, County’s coming in stoppage time as Tom Iorpenda’s ball to the back post just misses Tyrese Hall, and the visitors clear, the sides going in level pegging at the break.

Norwegian Harald Nilsen Tangen, a winter transfer loan signing from Sarpsborg 08, came on for his Magpies debut at the start of the second half, replacing the ever-industrious, Hall, in midfield, with the lead at Meadow Lane being restored just before the hour mark.

A set-piece would see Jodi Jones’ corner result in a miscued shot from Scott Robertson, with Matthew Dennis on-hand to head home the loose ball; it was Dennis’ thirteenth goal of the season, and his third match-winner in the last four, having scored the decisive goal in the wins over Fleetwood Town and Swindon Town.

County continued to threaten as the half wore on, unable to make chances count, with Dennis putting wide from close range, after an Iorpenda cross, shortly before being replaced by Peter Ndlovu.

The visitors did however come close to salvaging a point at the death, County’s hearts-in-mouths as Elliot Newby’s cross got beyond Belshaw in the home goal, and reached Joe Anderson at the far post – his effort though was, fortunately for the hosts, cleared off the line by Jacob Bedeau, thus sealing another, valuable three points.

NOTTS COUNTY – James Belshaw, Lewis Macari, Matthew Platt, Jacob Bedeau, Nick Tsaroulla, Scott Robertson (Keanen Bennetts, 76), Oliver Norburn (Lucas Ness, 85), Jodi Jones (Maziar Kouhyar, 66), Tom Iorpenda, Tyrese Hall (Harald Tangen, 46), Matthew Dennis (Peter Ndlovu, 78)

Meanwhile, in EFL League One, Mansfield Town have slipped to twelfth in the table, despite having stretched their own unbeaten run to nine games – the reason, their last four outings now have been draws.

This was their second successive goal draw, when being held by Exeter City at the One Call Stadium; Will Evans had the Stags’ best chance of the first half, Grecians ‘keeper Joe Whitworth saving well from sixteen yards.

The Stags created the better of second half opportunities also, but none failed to materialise as both sides settled for the draw.

Next up for the Stags, a visit of a Peterborough United side buoyed by a 6-1 drubbing of Wigan Athletic at the weekend, on Tuesday (10 February) night, whilst for the Magpies, it’s a Valentines Day table-topper as they travel to leaders Bromley on Saturday (14 February) afternoon.