Notts Hit Tranmere For Five

A five-star performance kept automatic promotion chasing Notts County in the hunt on Saturday, following a 5-0 thrashing of visiting Tranmere Rovers in EFL League Two.

Martin Paterson’s side, who were narrowly beaten away to Shrewsbury Town in midweek, welcome Tranmere to Meadow Lane as they looked to keep the pressure on the top two, both of whom have also dropped points recently.

Leaders Bromley, just four points ahead of the oft-free scoring Magpies, have now drawn their last three outings, against County, Cheltenham Town, and on Saturday at Harrogate Town, whilst second place have lost one and drawn one of their last six, they also losing at Harrogate.

Notts County meanwhile, when hosting Tranmere, were reliant on an own-goal early in the first half, Jason Lowe putting the ball past Marko Marosi for an unfortunate score; Lee Ndlovu, enjoying himself in the black & white of the hosts, turned on the pace to burst beyond Stephen Negru, before his cross was half-cleared by Nathan Smith, before ricocheting off Lowe and into the net.

The hosts lost Oliver Norburn to injury twenty-six minutes in, he being replaced by Conor Grant, but the chances continued to flow as Lewis Macari saw his effort saved by Marosi, as did Maziar Kouhyar minutes later.

On the stroke of half-time former County midfielder, Charlie Whitaker, who moved to Tranmere in the summer, forced a low save by home shot-stopper, James Belshaw, County going in at the break with a one-goal lead.

Within a dozen minutes of the restart however, and with the hosts turning up the heat, Tranmere were well-and-truly blown away, one quickly becoming four.

Ndlovu, who joined from fellow League Two side, Barnet, in early January this year, netted his first goals for the club in quick succession; the first arrived straight from the restart, firing home a deflected cross from Nick Tsaroulla from close range.

Then, ten minutes later, he added his second, and County’s third after the visitors, trying to play the ball out from the back, lost possession, and Tom Iorpenda released Grant, who squared for Ndlovu to bury from a dozen yards out.

Jodi Jones quickly added a fourth for the rampant hosts, his effort deflecting past Marosi, and the visitors were gone before the hour mark had been breached; Paterson made a flurry of changes just after the hour, one of which saw Matthew Dennis on for Ndlovu, and it was he who wrapped up the points in the closing stages.

As the game ticked into the final few minutes, fellow substitute, Harald Tangen, on less than ten minutes earlier for Scott Robertson, was dragged back by Nathan Smith, referee Harry Wager pointing to the spot from which Dennis fired home his fourteenth goal of the season.

NOTTS COUNTY – James Belshaw, Lewis Macari, Matthew Platt (Rod McDonald, 63), Jacob Bedeau (capt), Nick Tsaroulla, Oliver Norburn (Conor Grant, 26), Scott Robertson (Harald Tangen, 76), Jodi Jones, Tom Iorpenda, Maziar Kouhyar (Tyrese Hall, 63), Lee Ndlovu (Matthew Dennis, 63)

Meanwhile, it’s certainly a case of ‘after the lord mayors show’ for Mansfield Town, they slipping to sixteenth in EFL League One following a third successive loss, and second since beating Premier League Burnley in the FA Cup.

Hosting title-chasing Lincoln City it would be the Imps who’d take all three points with a 2-0 win, netting late in each half through Rob Street’s first half penalty, and Tom Bayliss’ ninety-fifth minute half-volley, and move sixteen unbeaten as they battle Cardiff City for the number one spot.

The Stags, who are now winless in their last seven in the league, must dust themselves off ahead of welcoming AFC Wimbledon, who sit thirteenth, to the One Call Stadium this coming Saturday (28 February).

Next up for County meanwhile, they host mid-table Grimsby Town, at Meadow Lane, also this Saturday, as they continue to push Bromley and Cambridge United at the top of the division.