Dave Kevan remains unbeaten as Notts County caretaker manager, although he insists he doesn't want the job full time, there must be some consideration as to whether he is the best man to see the season out at Meadow Lane. He guided the Magpies to their 5th win in 6 league games on Saturday with a comfortable win over Ian Hendon's freefalling Barnet side at Meadow Lane, with Notts even being able to exert themselves so little that they should have plenty in the tank for another real go at Wigan Athletic tomorrow evening. Kevan made on change from the side which comfortably saw off Dagenham & Redbridge in midweek, with Matt Hamshaw coming in for a very rare start in place of Craig Westcarr. The Bees lined up in an unfamiliar 4-5-1 formation in an attempt to stop the home win that looked likely given the recent form of both sides.
A lot has evidently changed since a last gasp goal from Jake Hyde gave Barnet a 1-0 win over Notts at Underhill back in August, in fact a week later Hendon's side went top of the league after hammering Northampton Town at Sixfields. They now sit below both sides, without a league win since October and now looking over the shoulders towards Grimsby Town and the bottom two. Their hopes of picking up anything at Meadow Lane took a huge blow within six minutes too as Karl Hawley scored his first goal of 2010 to put the hosts infront. Ben Davies took a short free kick to Matt Hamshaw, who was given the freedom of the right touchline to curl in an inviting cross which Mike Edwards tried to head at goal, but could only aim back across to the far post. This turned out in Notts' favour though as both Hawley and Stephen Hunt stood completely unmarked, with Hawley taking charge and slamming a volley low past Jake Cole to put the Magpies in the driving seat.
Barnet were getting stuck into Notts' midfielders in an attempt to stop them dictating the pace of the game and Ricky Ravenhill twice had to receive treatment for a head injury sustained from a challenge that we shall kindly describe as 'robust'. He finally had to go off with concussion later in the half. The visitors' high line worked with a couple of offsides, but was breached with worrying ease as a long ball saw Davies stroll clear, he found himself bearing down on Cole but unselfishly squared the ball to Lee Hughes, who somehow contrived to balloon the ball over the ball from four yards out without a defender in site. Even the division's leading scorer is allowed one glaring miss every so often, I guess. You sensed it was unlikely to prove costly for Notts though and so it proved five minutes later as Davies did manage to double the lead.
When Karl Hawley was wrestled to the ground three yards outside the Barnet area, only one outcome seemed likely as Davies placed the ball for another trademark free kick. This time he chose not to bother getting it up and down, choosing instead to bypass the world's worst defensive wall entirely, placing the ball into the bottom corner beyond Cole's reach. This just about sealed the win for Notts, who were playing a team who looked ridiculously unlikely to threaten Kasper Schmeichel. Mike Edwards could've added a third as he headed a Matt Hamshaw cross inches wide of Jake Cole's far post, whilst Davies surprised everyone by hammering a free kick that was so far out Barnet had barely bothered to construct a wall at goal, but Cole scrambled across to tip it over the bar.
The match reverted back to a scrappy affair in the second half, with Notts seemingly content with their three points and happy to conserve as much energy as possible for Tuesday's FA Cup tie, whilst Barnet gleefully passed the ball around midfield before losing it whenever they tried to actually score. Lee Hughes nearly struck when his scuffed left footed shot took a wicked deflection and nearly bobbled past Cole, but he recovered to tip it wide, whilst Mike Edwards headed the ball onto the bar from the resulting corner, with Cole's fingertip touch proving decisive. The Barnet fans, who had now taken to doing the conga in an attempt to make up for their side's sheer hopelessness, nearly had something to cheer as highly rated winger Albert Adomah flicked the ball over Johnnie Jackson's head in the box with a sublime piece of skill, but in the true spirit of League Two wingers, completely ruined it by mishitting his shot straight at Schmeichel from six yards out.
John O'Flynn also tested Schmeichel, who just seemed pleased to have something to do, as he drove a low shot at goal from just inside the area, but the game continued to fizzle out into dullness. Davies nearly livened it up again with an audacious left footed volley from 30 yards, which dipped onto the roof of the net having caught Cole off guard. Full time finished off an efficient, if entirely unexciting game, against one of the worst sides to visit Meadow Lane in a long time. Notts now face a trip to Wigan Athletic tomorrow in the cup, before another side who seem unable to win in Grimsby Town host us next Saturday.
Notts Co - Schmeichel, Thompson, Edwards, Hunt, Jackson, Hamshaw, Ravenhill (Clapham), Bishop, Davies, Hughes (Rodgers), Hawley (Akinbiyi)
Notts Co 2 (Hawley '5, Davies '25)
Barnet 0
Attendance 6,444 (270 Bees)