The last time Rushden & Diamonds met the Magpies at Meadow Lane, things could hardly have been paralleled with yesterday’s match-up.
Notts, under the management of Billy Dearden, were rock bottom of the Second Division (League One, if we’re going to be pedantic) and after having been, according to NCM’s own Rob Davies at that time, ‘brutally outclassed in every department’ that night, a 3-1 mauling at the hands of Rushden was hardly to ever help their plight.
Judging on the performance that night, who’d have ever thought that we’d be meeting that side, who physically mauled a poor Magpies side, in the tier below that very next season?
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For Notts, two managers later and Ian Richardson –one of very few County players to have witnessed both matches in whatever capacity – had the sizeable task of turning over the Diamonds in a crucial encounter at the 'Lane.
After having widespread injury worries throughout the week leading up to the match, it turned out that only Mark Stallard (ankle) was to be sidelined from the five original doubts.
The return to fitness of defender Julien Baudet allowed the in-form Kelvin Wilson to slip in at right back, with Shane McFaul being dropped to the bench. Meanwhile Gavin Gordon got the nod to partner Glynn Hurst in place of the injured Stallard.
After suffering a 5-1 hammering at Nene Park earlier this season, it seemed, even from the very early stages that the Magpies looking about putting this injustice right.
And, in fact, it took just six minutes for the Magpies to open the afternoon’s shelling. When David Pipe, with the pitch seeming to open up before the young Welshman, unleashed an effort to no more avail than to scare the Rushden debutant goalkeeper, Scott Shearer – a former team mate of Pipe’s at Coventry - it seemed very much as though Notts had seized the upper hand.
However, just moments later, a header from Rushden’s Drewe Broughton established the feeling that the match was to be no cakewalk.
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A choking hold from Baudet, and a stern talking to from referee, Mr. Evans eventually sorted out the striker’s misdemeanours, and so the game went on.
Notts pushed forward once more, Gordon – after muscling into a decent position in the Rushden 18-yard box – seemed for all the world to have been brought down by the opposition, a fairly justifiable if not controversial shout for a penalty. Nothing given.
Matty Gill then drove a 20-yard free kick goalwards, his effort serving only to sting the palms of the debutant goalkeeper.
Amazingly, Rushden striker Broughton - who scored a hat-trick in the two sides' reverse fixture - had managed to elude the attention of the referee’s little black book so far into the match, after a catalogue of ill-tempered digs at the County defenders.
On 22 minutes, however, Broughton finally got his comeuppance. His tetchiness being rewarded with a yellow card for his troubles.
Seconds later and Notts created their best chance of the match so far.
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A diving header at the far post, with all the goal to aim at, could only have ended up in the stand behind the goal.
Saul Deeney responded well after 25 minutes gone to a shot from just as many yards from Rushden’s Neil McCaffetry, diving to his left to pluck the effort from the sky.
Soon after, and striker Gordon – who had, thus far, looked more impressive than judging on his recent performances – was clattered from behind, his body falling to the ground, before slumping in a heap.
A clever tug of Gordon’s arm from a Notts player when the former Cardiff man was flat on his back and out cold may not have saved his game, but could well have prevented the situation from becoming far more serious. Although not noted elsewhere, a noteworthy point, I feel.
The Notts number nine - suffering a badly broken jaw - was replaced by youngster, Shaun Harrad after little short of the half-hour mark.
Moments later, and a Harrad header was again somehow missed by Hurst at the far post, under similar conditions to his first gilt-edged opportunity. Hurst quickly turning out to become an unlikely villain in the match.
But it seemed that minutes after a second emphatic miss from Glynn Hurst that the Magpies had finally got their just desserts.
When a Stef Oakes corner, five minutes before time, was headed in by veteran defender, Mike Whitlow it seemed like the 37-year old had finally done what his team-mate – namely Glynn Hurst – had had failed to achieve not once, but twice when his header was converter.
The goal was only to be harshly ruled out by referee, Evans for an unruly jump from the former Sheffield United man.
Half Time: NOTTS COUNTY 0-0 Rushden & Diamonds
Despite all the chances for Notts in the first half it must be said this was more of a reflection on the visitors - by far the worst team to visit Meadow Lane this season - than it was Richardson's men.
The visitors picked up their game slightly at the start of the second period though and managed to take the lead with their first real attempt on goal with 51 minutes on the clock.
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The disappointing visiting following had barely stopped celebrating though, when Notts were level.
Immediately from the re-start the lively Harrad - showing his more experienced strike partner just how it should be done - ran at the Rushden defence and was tripped for a penalty.
The cool as ice Baudet stepped up and sent Shearer the wrong way to bring the Magpies level within a minute. The feeling was that the goal could give Notts the spur they needed to win the game, but, in hindsight, we were to prove far more dangerous at 0-0 then 1-1.
Richardson was then made to make his second unforced change of the afternoon with McFaul rising from the bench to replace captain Whitlow - presumably suffering from some sort of knock.
With the midfield pairing of Oakes and Gill tiring, Notts' attacking play was fading but The Magpies still had a golden chance to take the lead on 65 minutes, with it again falling to that man Hurst.
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Richardson made his final change of the afternoon on 70 minutes by taking off the hard-working Bolland for the more attack-minded Tony Scully.
For the last 20 minutes though, an extremely poor Rushden side were able to contain The Magpies with relative ease, with substitute Scully having only a negative impact on proceedings.
With the creative Oakes looking shattered, Notts badly needed the Irish winger to provide some sort of service to the strike pairing, or at least Harrad, but the former Man City man was again unable to deliver.
It was Rushden who came closest to the winner when winger Bell - the Diamonds best player - ran the length of the field before forcing Deeney into a smart low stop.
Full time: Notts County 1-1 Rushden & Diamonds
So, more points dropped for County who created the chances but were unable to put them away. Rushden looked an extremely poor side, but have managed to take four points off Notts this season, which about sums up our season.
The game will probably be remembered for Hurst's misses - surely Richo will start with Harrad alongside Stallard on Wednesday - but perhaps more significant is the serious injury that looks likely to rule Gordon out for the remainder of the campaign.
Match Ratings and reaction to follow.