Juve, it's just like watching Juve... well, for the first half anyway
Last updated : 01 September 2002 By Notts County Mad
 | Notts County's Danny Allsopp gets away from Brentford's Ibrahima Sonko |
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A magical, sensational, dramatical and entertaining first half was dominated by one team and one team only - Notts County. Slick passing. Holding the ball, counter attacking, skillful play and bluntly playing the league leaders off the park in what was an entertaining encounter.
But it's two points chucked away rather than a point gained I'm afraid to say as Notts threw away a two goal lead and fail to win at home, again. Brentford arrived at Meadow Lane today with an undefeated record, and they should have been beaten; Having been two nil down to well worked and well taken goals. First from Mark Stallard on ten minutes, and then two minutes after half time from Heffernan.
 | Notts County's Mark Stallard gets the ball away from Brentford's Kevin O'Connor |
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Bill Dearden though decided to change the formation and it was Mark Stallard who starred in a new role. Stallard played behind the front pair of the Danny Allsopp and Paul Heffernan and used Darren Caskey in a deeper role.
But it wasn't that experiment that let Notts down it was the defending. Both Craig Ireland and Danny Stone were punished for defensive errors.
The Report....
As famous Notts County fan Shane Meadow's said "If Notts could play for 89 minutes in a match they'd be world beaters". That was a definite reflection of todays match. Notts played brilliant football for the first 45 minutes and I can't remember the League Leaders having a clear cut chance. But ofcourse the second half was to prove different for the Magpies, even when they took a two goal lead.
 | Brentford's Eddie Hutchinson and Notts County's Darren Caskey battle for the ball |
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Notts were ahead inside ten minutes with a cool piece of Stallard finishing, his first Meadow Lane goal in 11 months.Heffernan should have added a second but his control let him down but two minutes into the second half he atoned by rounding off a fine a piece of play between Allsopp and Stallard.
By then Notts could have been three ahead, Kevin Nicholson having rattled the crossbar.
Brentford battled on and Leo Roget forced a fine save from Stewart Garden before the Notts goalkeeper was undone by two clinical finishes by the visitors.
 | Notts County's Nick Fenton and Brentford's Mark McCammon leap for a high ball |
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In the second half it was the big powerhouse forward Mark McCammon who shrugged beat Craig Ireland for sheer pace.
Notts failed to find that form that they produced in the first half and they conceeded a second goal, and it was the visitors' equalising goal. Substitute Mark Williams levelled 12 minutes from the finish after good work by Rowan Vine, this time Danny Stone being the culpable defender.Magpies manager Dearden was critical of his defenders for losing their shape - and almost the match in the closing stages.He described the refereeing performance by Barrow-in-Furness official Mike Pike as one of the worst he had ever seen in a long football career.
Dearden was pleased with the way his new formation had operated but clearly the frustrations are growing at County's inability to win at home.
MORE MATCH PICTURES
 | Notts County's Head Coach Gary Brazil and Brentford's Manager Wally Downes look concerned as their teams fight out a hard earned draw |
 | Notts County's Paul Heffernan and Brentford's Ibrahima Sonko battle for the ball |
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