Bristol City- Earlier On...

Last updated : 09 January 2004 By Rob Davies
As I'm sure most of you remember, it certainly wasn't pretty.

Notts travelled to Bristol with their off-the field future by no means secure, after the collapse of the Bhattia/Strang deal to take over the club.
And the day was to prove an absoloute disaster.

Lee Peacock- Fired two goals last time
Firstly, there was doubt whether the players, the supporters and even Colin Slater & Dean Yates would get to the game for the required kick-off time, thanks to a major accident on the motorway causing a huge amount of traphic.

In the end, I was one of the lucky supporters as I got there 5 minutes before the kick-off, while the team got there at 2:40, referee Joe Ross decided that Notts' players would be OK without a warm-up and decided against moving the kick-off time back.

When the match itself got underway Notts, playing in their new striped shirts for the first time, were understandably sluggish and it took Bristol, who were favourites for the Division Two title going into this game, just 12 minutes before they were in the lead.
Ex Mansfield man Lee Peacock finishing off a delightful move involving Mickey Bell.

Notts' captain, Steve Jenkins, making his debut, then came close to an equaliser with a rasping drive striking the crossbar, before Peacock headed his and City's second past a stranded Stuart Garden.

Notts' hopes were killed off just after half-time by one of Bristol's debutants that day, Scottish striker Lee Miller firing in a blistering volley.

Notts only had another of their debutants, Clive Platt, to thank for what little oppurtunities came their way, as the big striker made his presence known to unsettle the City defence.

Notts' afternoon got even worse thanks to two late howlers from Stuart Garden (he's not played since) gifting substitute Lee Matthews with two goals that took the final score up to a lofty 5-0.

If you take a look at Notts' starting line-up that day, it's not hard to see why the final score was as it was.

Notts: Garden, Jenkins, Fenton, Barras, Nicholson, Bolland (Francis 64), Brough, Richardson, Baraclough, Platt (Heffernan 77), Stallard (Hackworth 77).

Not Used: Mildenhall, Riley.