Derby defeat leaves Notts deep in the mire

It was not so long ago when fans of Notts County concentrated all their hate on closest rivals Nottingham Forest. The two sides, just a River separating them, once had very little to choose between them.

The days under Jimmy Sirrel for Notts, and the late Brian Clough for Forest, brought many blood and thunder clashes. They epitomised what the local derby signifies in this precious sport. They are meant to be pulsating, passionate and lively affairs. In these clashes, so many of them during the late seventies and early eighties, all of this and more occurred.

Sirrel: Represented the good old days

A short drive down the A60 and you headed towards Nottinghamshire's third football club, Mansfield Town. The Stags were the lowest ranked of the three, and hardly a threat to eithers ambitions of being the County's top club.

How things have changed. Now, with Forest struggling in the lower reaches of the ‘Championship’ and both Notts and Mansfield in mid-table mediocrity of ‘League 2’ Nottinghamshire football has reached its lowest ebb.

Forest and Notts in particular have sunk to depths far lower than ever before, but for Mansfield, this is familiar territory, which is why their victory over rivals Notts County today is even more gut-wrenching for the Notts faithful to stomach.

After the miserly recent shows over Macclesfield Town and Leyton Orient, Notts conceding seven and scoring none over the course of the two games, the game was billed as do or die, the rivalry element triggering that attitude even more.

However, despite the boost of the re-signing of former hero Mark Stallard on a season long loan from Barnsley, Notts once again failed to deliver to their long suffering support.

Stallard came in for top scorer Glynn Hurst to partner Gavin Gordon up front, with youngster Shane McFaul also returning from illness to start at right-back with Chris Palmer joining Hurst on the bench and David Pipe switching positions from right-back to right-wing.

Significantly, Notts manager Ian Richardson also left out playmaker Stefan Oakes. Despite Notts’ run of scoring only four times in nine league fixtures prior to today, the influential creative midfielder remained only amongst the substitutes, with Paul Bolland and Matt Gill lining up in central midfield.

Stallard: Class in evidence

The return of two-time winner of ‘supporters player of the season’ Stallard had given Notts fans a new sense of optimism, after the initial dread at the prospect of facing their higher placed local rivals after what had been a torrid week. In fairness, Stallard didn’t disappoint, and his class was evident on numerous occasions, but he lacked sufficient support around him to deliver the final product for Notts.

The game started in an open fashion, neither side grabbing an initiative, and neither side playing the kind of football which could open up the game, and create a chance to take an early advantage.

Mansfield, backed by a vociferous away following of around 4000, almost completely filling the vast visiting section, enjoyed the greatest amount of possession, but were unable to turn that into a goalscoring opportunity.

As the tenth minute clicked in, Notts began to up the ante, with Stallard instigating a fine move that led to Pipe crashing a cross across the face of experienced Mansfield goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington. Unfortunately Stallard, having dropped deep to collect possession in the first place, was unable to make up the ground in time to reach the fizzing ball. Strike partner Gordon appeared bewildered with the ball, and failed to gamble on it, infuriating Welshman Pipe.

It turned out to be the story of Notts’ game. They were superior overall in terms of possession and chances created to their Mansfield counterparts.

However, in one of only two instances during the game that the Stags carved out an opportunity, they scored it. A free-kick was whipped in from rookie winger Adam Rundle, and met by a rising Richie Barker.

The Mansfield forward stole a march on Notts youngster Kelvin Wilson, who had an otherwise solid game, and looped a header over the stranded Saul Deeney. This was to be the only goal of an atmospheric, if not exciting derby. It certainly won’t live long in the memory as a classic, but both sets of players and supporters alike are sure to remember the clash for a good while soon.

For Mansfield, it was the perfect way to celebrate their 3000^th league game, but for Notts, it had many repercussions. It means that Mansfield have grabbed an unusual double over them this season, following their frog-march of a victory by three goals to one at Field Mill earlier in the campaign.

Gill: Pick of a poor midfield

It also means local pride has totally gone out of the window, Mansfield moving to eight points ahead of Notts in the league table. Again Notts failed to hit the target, and their once reliable defence squandered another needless goal. Most important of all, it seems that they may well be back on their way to yet another relegation struggle.

Needless to say, as the Magpies grew in the game, without playing the kind of football they displayed against Scunthorpe, they still carved out enough openings to at least grab a share of the spoils. A superb individual break from winger Tony Scully towards the end of the opening period ended with a neat through ball from Stallard, before the onrushing Bolland pulled the ball back from the by-line, but just behind the in-rushing Stallard and Gordon.

Needless to say, soon after, a ball played into the middle for Gordon was neatly knocked down by the target man for the onrushing Matty Gill. Gill, tireless throughout and the pick of the Notts midfield, reached the ball just before Pilkington, but failed to get any real direction as he stretched all his body in hope rather than expectation.

The second half was less than riveting, not that the first had been so. The home side again looked most likely to score, though they never reallly seemed to have much chance of breaking their now three game goal drought.

Time and time again balls were knocked into the box, with nobody gambling on it to get any sort of final touch that may cause problems. The worst of it came when a Stallard cross was knocked down by visiting captain Alex-John Baptiste to his own goalkeeper, who hesitated, but still had enough time to calmly collect and strike clear.

This infuriated the home support, who had clearly had enough by this time, with many pouring out from the near-packed stands. The majority, despite the strong Mansfield following, around the Meadow Lane stadium were stunned at the deepness of Notts, who were often relying on a counter-attack to engineer an equaliser. Indeed, Gordon was often alone in attack as Stallard tried in vain to get things started from deeper.

Richardson puzzled the home support even more by only introducing Oakes with less than fifteen minutes to go. Also, Hurst was introduced with the game clearly slipping away with just seconds rather than minutes remaining.

It added up to possibly the lowest day Notts County have seen on the pitch for many a year. The day they succumbed to a double win against Mansfield will remain in the memory for a long time, as it signifies the end of the Stags as Nottinghamshire's lowest ranked club for at least another year.

And just how low to stoop. With Nottinghamshire football drifting away, Notts are in danger of becoming the worst of the three professional clubs in the City. This is something which wouldn’t have featured in many Notts’ fans wildest nightmares in the not so distant past.

Now it has an air of inevitability about it, the once great club drifting further and further away from any kind of success.

Just who would be a Notts fan?