Brimming Magpies claim a point at Sincil Bank

Last updated : 06 August 2006 By Rob Davies
As befits the opening day of any football season, Notts' travelling fans will have made the journey to Sincil Bank with a large degree of optimism in their sails.

But with fourteen brand new first-team players - eleven of whom made their debuts against the Imps - and a new manager whose appointment was greeted with a degree of dis-satisfaction, there was also a case of exploring the unknown.

While one National newspaper predicted that the Magpies would finish rock bottom of League Two, another printed an article on Saturday urging its readers that, at 33/1, Notts were a good bet to win the division this time around.

With such a marked contrast, who knew what to expect?

And, in truth, after witnessing the first 90 minutes of competitive action from this brand new team, we are none the wiser.

For the first half an hour of Saturday's encounter, Notts were brutally out-played by their hosts, to such an extent that they will have gone into the half-time break feeling lucky that they were only behind to the one, solitary goal.

And yet, at the final whistle the same players who had been booed off at the interval were met with raptourus applause from the travelling fans, after producing a vibrant second half display that left many returning to Nottingham disappointed that Steve Thompson was unable to finally gain his first win as Notts boss to mark his first competitive fixture.

After largely being on the periphery for the first period, Notts were able to use the creative talents of Ian Ross (left) and Andy Parkinson to their advantage after the break, pressing their hosts back with a display of attacking football unseen during the one-season reign of Gudjon Thordarson.

Alongside David Pipe, the pair completed an exciting offensive midfield trio that were behind much of the Magpies best work in the second period.

Ably protected by Matt Somner, Notts laid seige to Andy Marriott's goal in a manner that suggested that watching the Magpies will be an all-together more entertaining experience in the upcoming year.

Given the freedom to express themselves under Thompson, Pipe and Parkinson continued to provide lively forays down the opposing flanks in a bid to provide ammunition for the strikers.

After the dour - yet organised - style of Thordarson, it was a joy to watch.

Yet, the Notts fans were also able to see the pit-falls of this new free-flowing style in a first half that was anything but.

By the time Adie Moses had scrambled home from an inswinging right wing corner after woeful collective defending from the Magpies, Lincoln had already came close to netting on three occasions.

The best chance fell to midfielder Ryan Amoo - a debutant for the Imps - who blazed over with the goal at his mercy, at a stage of the game where most fans were still taking their seats.

If Notts fans thought things were going to get better in the immediate future, they were in for a nasty surprise.

Alarm bells were ringing back to three years ago, when Notts were hammered 5-0 at Ashton Gate on the season's opening, after Lee Beevers somehow fired over an open goal following an almighty howler from the usually-reliable Kevin Pilkington.

While looking decidedly shaky at the back, Notts' new style of play meant that they were at least managing to find their feet going forward, but the Magpies were having trouble supplying Ross, the team's chief creative influence, with the ball on a regular basis.

The on-loan Sheffield Utd midfielder's only real mark of note in a miserable first period had been left on the knee of Lincoln's Scott Kerr after a tackle that somehow escaped a booking from the dreadfully inconsistent match official.

Pipe: Super showing
Captain Alan White, who was having trouble marshalling the new back four against the Imps' three-pronged attack that was led by former Notts hero Mark Stallard, proved more capable at the other end as he headed Ross' corner narrowly wide of the left-hand post.

In truth though, most of the 2,000 supporters who made the journey to Lincoln were relieved to go in at the break just one goal behind to the Imps - who look set to be far more pleasing on the eye following the departure of Keith Alexander.

With talented youngsters Amoo and Ryan Freckingham at the heart of the midfield, Lincoln look set for a decent season under the guidance of John Schofield. But, although they contributed to an excellent encounter, they had to settle for being a distant second best after the interval as Thompson's men took control.

Pipe - who, along with Jason Lee, had been Notts' best player in the first half - sliced badly wide after a decent flick from Lawrie Dudfield, before Parkinson saw his effort take a slight deflection after jinking through the home side's defence.

The transformed Magpies continued to create worthwhile chances though and it came as little surprise to see Marriott's net bulge in the 55th minute.

Ross - now pulling the strings as the Magpies gained the ascendency - was the orchestrator, delivering a wicked free-kick from the left channel that flicked off the head of defender Jeff Hughes on its way past the home keeper.

The travelling fans were now in raptures, after previously consigning themselves to another season of struggle after just 45 minutes play.

Notts were playing the game at a frantic pace, but the wily Stallard almost caught them out on the counter-attack before delivering a weak left-footed effort that was comfortably saved by Pilkington.

Backed-up superbly by Silk, Pipe was kicking Hughes while he was down, giving the full-back a torrid time. Impressively, he was also delivering a worthwhile end product, with Silk slashing wide after one such cross.

The Magpies' dominance was best illustrated by Schofield's third substitution in the 74th minute, full-back Paul Mayo replacing striker Jamie Forrester as the Imps attempted to contain Notts' rampant wing-play.

The change was a clever one though, and despite the best efforts of replacement strikers Junior Mendes and T'Cham N'Toya and a host of set-pieces, Notts struggled to test Marriott in the closing stages.

Despite being unable to claim an opening day victory though, Thompson's men were every inch the new team - and the optimism carried by supporters out of Sincil Bank comes with a degree of substance.

With Pipe, Parkinson and Ross in the midfield, Notts look sure to score plenty of goals in a delightful contrast to last season, where the club's two regular centre backs finished the season as joint top scorer's.

The dilemma Thompson immediately faces is the strain that leaves on the other end of the field, with the possibility of bringing in another holding midfield player to ease the workload on Somner something that could be considered as the season kicks into its stride.

Should he choose to retain his current style of play, a 4-4-2 containing three forward-thinking midfield players, the Magpies may well be left vulnerable at the back, but, on the evidence of yesterday's clash, it'll be bloody good to watch.



Match Ratings to follow.