ef·fort (n.)
- The use of physical or mental energy to do something; exertion.
- A usually earnest attempt: Make an effort to arrive promptly.
Today’s lesson centres around the above – now, are you all sitting comfortably? Then we shall begin…
Despite three changes to the starting XI from Saturday’s cup flop, Gudjon Thordarson’s men still could not avoid defeat against a side that sat, before last night, below them in the League Two pecking order. With Andy White, Adam Tann and debutant Liam Needham all added to the side, Notts surrendered to a side no better than their own, as they were taught a lesson in grit and determination typical of a Mark Wright team.
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Setting the trend for what was to follow, Kevin Pilkington – the only Notts player to turn-in a performance of any real note – made his presence felt with a decent clawed save to push a long-range effort from Paul Carden around his left hand up-right.
From here on in, Notts were under continual, although totally deadly pressure from their hosts, who boldly stepped where no Notts players dared tread.
With a fairly gutless performance on show right across the park, the Magpies were once again bailed out by Pilkington when former Watford man Jamie Hand struck goalwards, with ‘Pilks’ palming Hand’s effort away with ease.
As for Notts, it was only a horribly miscued effort from Julien Baudet that marked their impact on proceedings, and even that flew onto the top of the stand – something that speaks volumes of just how hopeless the side looked.
Their hesitancy was punished before the half was out, with Ryan Semple – a man NCM tipped many a season ago to make a name for himself at London Road – tapping home from close-range in similar circumstances to Torquay’s first on Saturday.
After Adam Tann had, supposedly, chopped down the theatrical Posh winger, a resulting free-kick sparked mayhem in the Magpies box, as defender Sean St. Ledger saw his effort cannon off the up-right.
The flight of the rebounded effort baffled Pilkington, leaving him struggling to readjust in-time to prevent captain Dean Holden dashing the ball across the face of goal for Semple to glance in from little more than half-a-yard – unmarked, of course.
As if the first goal wasn’t a big enough wake-up call, the Magpies so very nearly crumbled under an identical attack from Peterborough. This time, however, it was Danny Crow who found the woodwork, with that man Semple again on the goal line, and again untracked, to complete the seemingly easy task of heading home.
Pilkington, however, had become wise to Semple’s goal-hanging, and pulled off a bread-and-butter stop to deny the young winger a third goal in two games for Posh before the break.
Half time: Peterborough United 1-0 Notts County
The only change as the Magpies returned for the second half was the removal of Tann through injury, although even he had looked beleaguered with the pressure of the opponent. Stacy Long replaced him, moving into a midfield berth in a desperate attempt to drum up chances for the side.
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A high, defence splitting pass from the Peterborough defence put Callum Willock in on goal, who showed great composure to lob ‘keeper Pilkington – caught in two minds when coming to collect, much like Torquay’s second at the weekend – from all of 30-yards. The striker was then booked for leaving the field of play during his celebrations.
Minutes later, Brian O’Callaghan – another anonymous figure on the night – was replaced by Mark DeBolla, as Gudjon’s frustrations grew, something which was hardly helped by the bookings of Baudet and Mike Edwards for needless fouls on the edge of their own eighteen yard-box.
It was the Chesterfield man’s introduction that provided a brief glimmer of hope for the Magpies, as he provided Notts’ first shot on goal with twenty minutes remaining – one that Scott Tyler had little trouble deflecting out of play.
The resulting corner shockingly provided Notts’ second attempt on goal, as the steady figure of new-boy Needham almost looped an in-swinging effort under the cross-bar of ‘keeper Scott Tyler.
And, if it wasn’t for the passing by of the much celebrated Peterborough pie ladies, the game would have petered out into complete nothingness, rather than just overriding disappointment of being absolutely schooled in how to battle out a victory, even when the football wasn’t always at a premium.
A lesson Notts must now be learnt from as they travel to North Wales this coming weekend.
Full time: Peterborough United 2-0 Notts County
For match ratings from last night’s embarrassment, be sure to check back to NCM later this evening.