Match Report Number Two!

A match Notts had to win, and win they did, in convincing fashion. The crowd looked disappointing, but, again, there must’ve been more than 5,102. Pipe was back in the team, which gave the crowd a lift, and after one of Notts’ huddles before the start, Blackpool kicked off towards the Kop.

Baldry- Back with a vengeance

Within the first minute, Scully sprinted down the left, and crossed the ball in, which was deflected away for a corner. Oakes took the corner, which allowed Barras to power a header in, but the save was completed by the Blackpool keeper. Blackpool broke with Donnelly who crossed the ball to an unmarked Pedro Mathias, who should’ve done better with his free shot, with McHugh clearing the ball off the line for a corner, which was caught by Garden.

Blackpool broke again on 4 mins, and a free header from Sheron hit the bar, with somehow the striker failing to poke home the rebound, but full credit goes to Garden for the excellent save on the floor. David Pipe and Tony Scully again were having good games, and both smashed shots towards goal, but both were caught by Barnes.

The crowd was incensed by the referee, who had Pipe booked for an innocent seeming tackle in the middle of the park, and his reputation was put into doubt again with Heffernan brought down by the last man, ex-Notts man Simon Grayson, most expected a red card, but the ref only gave him a booking. From the free-kick, Steve Scoffham had a goal disallowed for a tight looking offside after getting a receiving a deflected ball in the box.

The first goal came on 23 mins, SCULLY ran from his own penalty area, all the way down the field, leaving defenders in his wake, to about 25 yards out, before curling a wonder shot in the top right hand corner, which in my book is goal of the season so far.

Notts didn’t let up their pressure, with Baldry winning corners in quick succession, and the second breakthrough came on 28 mins, with Scully, passing to Scoffham in the box, passing the ball to HEFFERNAN, who turned and placed the ball in the bottom left corner for 2-0.

The 3^rd goal came on 31 mins, with a ball from Baldry aimed to Heffernan, whose shot, whilst being deflected, arrived at the feet of SCOFFHAM, and the striker buried his shot from 6 yard, which was accompanied by his trademark flip for 3-0.

Notts were totally on top, and on 37 mins, a great move, including Baldry, Scoffham and Pipe. This narrowly didn’t end in another goal, as Heffernan couldn’t quite apply a finishing touch to the cross from Pipe. After Notts’ 3^rd goal, the half slowed considerably, and the players left the field.

HALF TIME: NOTTS 3-0 Blackpool

Paul Heffernan- Another two goals

Blackpool’s rapid return to the field after the break mirrored their play for the majority of the second half. The away side were all over Notts from the kick-off, with SHERON scoring within a minute, after a cross from Richie Wellens fell invitingly, the striker buried the finish into the bottom left corner.

On 50 minutes, Scully went off on another run, with a resulting pass to Scoffham, winning a corner infront of the Jimmy Sirrel Stand. The corner ended with the Blackpool goalkeeper dropping the ball, and the resulting scramble produced another corner, but the shot from the next corner allowed Fenton to put the ball nearer to the scoreboard than the goal.

Play became increasingly scrappy, and Blackpool, buoyed by their goal, were coming more and more into the game, and the Notts players were starting to get frustrated, and Scoffham, who was booked for complaining and getting hot under the collar over a foul, was quickly replaced by Andy Parkinson on the hour mark Immediately, “Parky” ran at the defence, and was unlucky to see his cross go out. He went through again on 67 minutes, but he scuffed his shot, which is deflected for a corner, but this comes to nothing.

Parkinson- Made an impact

The same applied on 70 minutes, but Blackpool that time broke out, and won a corner. There was so much pressure on the Notts goal, but eventually this was relieved as Blackpool put the ball out.

On 77 mins, Parkinson received the ball down the right once more, and crossed the ball into HEFFERNAN, and he beat the keeper to plant the ball in the net for 4-1, which relieved the pressure a great deal. Scully was taken off to a standing ovation on 81, and soon after Baldry beat the defender down the right hand side, cutting the ball back for Oakes, but his shot was deflected wide.

Another shot from Oakes flashed narrowly wide on 88 as Blackpool capitulated. Bewers made his first appearance in a Notts shirt in the final few minutes as he replaced Oakes, and as the game came to an end, the crowd relaxed and the players left the field to a standing ovation, after a game which brought the team 1 point closer to safety.

FINAL SCORE: NOTTS 4-1 Blackpool

Notts: Garden, Fenton, Oakes, Barras, Richardson, Pipe, Heffernan, Baldry, Scoffham, McHug, Scully. Subs: Deeney, Williams, Riley, Parkinson, Bewers

Blackpool: Barnes, Grayson, Wellens, Sheron, Murphy, Bullock, Coid, Donnelly, Davis, Elliott, Mathias. Subs: Southern, Flynn, Richardson, Blinkhorn, Burns.

Match Ratings and more reaction to come.